The Next Dragon Warrior
by Joe 'Po' Navark
Summary: A shy lonely badger named Jo longs to be like his idol, Po, while he strives to make friends at a Kung Fu camp at the Jade Palace. Semi based off Secrets of The Furious Five. My first story so I hope you all like it! Review!
1. Chapter 1: The Dragon Warrior

_This is my first story so I hope it goes well_

_Enjoy_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**  
**Chapter 1**  
**The Dragon Warrior**

I was excited when I had first heard that there would be a kung fu training camp in the Valley of Peace. I was even more excited to hear it was going to be at the Jade Palace. It was a magnificently beautiful temple made nearly 900 years ago to honor the Valley's many warriors. The camp would last for nearly a month where we would become trained in the ancient art of kung fu. I had only been to the Jade Palace once before; the day they announced the Dragon Warrior. I can only remember too well that day. My parents and I, along with what seemed like the rest of the Valley, had gone to the palace arena on top of Jade Mountain. Master Oogway and Master Shifu, the valley's most prestigious kung fu teachers, presented their pupils "The Furious Five."

It was incredible! They each displayed unbelievable acts of Kung Fu. They seemed unstoppable, especially after hearing about their many acts heroism in battle outside of the Valley. But what made that evening amazing was when Master Oogway chose the Dragon Warrior. The great panda fell out of a flash of fire and explosions in the sky. He was tall, meek, and some how, the second I saw him, I knew I wanted to be like him. Later, that evening my parents asked their inevitable question.

"Jo, what was your favorite part of the evening?"

All I could think about was how cool the Dragon Warrior was. I had always liked kung fu, but now I loved it. I wanted to master all the techniques. Maybe someday I'd be like the Dragon Warrior. I wondered what he was supposed to do to protect the Valley.

About a week later, he defeated Tai Lung.

I wasn't alive when Tai Lung went on his rampage over the Valley, but my parents had told me it was a very dark day. Ten people were killed and many others injured. Some buildings were completely destroyed. Anyone who defeated a guy who could do all that was officially my hero.

But this, right now, about a month after Tai Lung's defeat, was my seventh year living in the Valley of Peace. I was brought here when I was just around three when I was taken in by my foster parents. Well, they're who I call my foster parents, which they were until they officially adopted me right after they took me in. I was with them long enough for them to feel like family, but it never felt complete. I figured most people in the village knew that they weren't my real parents, being that I was a badger and they were both foxes.

They knew of my fanaticism of the Dragon Warrior, so when they heard about the camp all they could think was "Jo wouldn't be able to resist" and they were right. But there was another reason that I wanted to go to this camp that I still don't think my parents knew about.

I wanted to make friends. I never had the heart to tell them I didn't have any. They just assumed I had made friends in the village, but never really saw them.

I was tired of always watching the other kids in the streets have fun and not be a part of it while I was just by myself. I tried a few times to make friends, but I was never successful. Maybe it was just because I was probably the only badger in the village but I never could seem to fit in.

But this camp could be my chance. I could meet some other people and they might even like me. That was all I could hope for.

_Thanks for reading_

_Review_


	2. Chapter 2: Today

_This is my second chapter_

_R&R_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 2**

**Today's the Day!**

I practically leaped out of bed. Today was the day! It was finally here!

My neck felt sore from sleeping weird.

I flexed my neck joints a little._ I really have to stop using my pillows as my practice punching bags. It was really starting to take the fluff out of them._

I turned to a poster on my wall. It was the one my parents got me of the Dragon Warrior holding up his fist with his pinky sticking out. From what I could research, it as called "The Wuxi Finger Hold."

I stood facing the poster and placed my fist in my palm. "I'll make you proud."

I grabbed my backpack at the foot of my bed (I packed it two weeks ago) pulled on some of my purple pants with my trademark gold belt and I was ready to go. But of course I was ready much earlier than my parents so I still had to wait.

My parents owned a shop in the Valley that sold polished stones and gems for jewelry, souvenirs and other gifts. The business actually did really well. They were very popular with the tourist and out-of-towners as well as the regular inhabitants. Their best sellers were jasper, jade, emerald, opal, larimar, black mica and lapis.

The shop took up a small part in the front of our house. My parent's room was in the back of the building and my room was upstairs. I looked out my window into the street. The Valley was slowly quickening it's pace into a normal busy day.

My parents and I started making our way through the village. It was summer, so the streets were fairly crowded with shoppers and a few vacationers from out of the country. I imagined they'd be even more crowed by the afternoon. The village was always busy but especially during the summer. We passed by the noodle shop where I was told the Dragon Warrior would occasionally worked. I imagined he spent most of his time up at the palace. I wondered if I'd get a chance to meet him while I was there.

Once we had gotten to the base of the mountain, we began to climb up the towering flight of stairs to the top of Jade Mountain.

By time we got to the top I was exhausted under the weight of my backpack. We walked through the wooden doors at the entrance to the palace arena. It looked just as I remembered from the last time, except a little less crowded. There were several other parents there dropping off their children.

I noticed (like I had guessed) I was the only badger. A few pigs, most of them were rabbits, that was abou...

_**HIM!?**_

_**He was the only gray rabbit here with a black spot over his left eye.**_

He stood there smugly wearing a shiny slate robe, while I was standing there in just my baggy purple pants.

It was Park. I had heard his name said in the street once.

And the nightmare came flooding back.

A little less than a year ago I was walking through the village when I saw some rabbits playing some game. After the first five minutes of getting up enough nerve I went up and (as coolly as I could) asked if I could join there game.

For a second I thought some of them were about to say "sure" but _he_ pushed his way through them (obviously he was one of those people who thought he was always in charge) smirked and said.

"How about you go play "jump off a cliff," _streak-face_."

It was one of the most pathetic insults I'd ever heard, but all the same I wasn't gonna take it lying down. "Why don't you get a life!"

"I'm not the one who's walking around talking by himself." A few of them laughed along with him and turned back to the game.

I tried to scowl as I walked away. _Some insulter he was._ I didn't care if I had streaks on my face. They at least made me look distinguished, At least I didn't look like I had a permanent black-eye. _And who was he to say I was always by mysel.... I....... Oh my God, he was right. _

"Jo, are you alright?"

I snapped out of my flashback. "Yeah, I'm fine, Dad."

I looked back where Park was standing with (who I assumed were) his parents.

_God, I pray he won't recognize me-_

My worries came to an abrupt ending as well as all the excited talking around us as a clang of a gong silenced the crowd. Standing, proudly on the arena's elevated platform was Master Shifu.

"Welcome parents and kung fu campers. We hope you will enjoy the next month of extensive training in Kung Fu, something that we take great pride in, here in the Valley of Peace. If all the campers will follow me, we will begin the camp."

I turned to my parents and my mom said "I guess this is where we leave. Have fun."

My dad patted me on the back. "We'll see you in a month, Jo."

I smiled. "See yall then." and they walked out through the large wooden doors with the rest of the parents.

They were gone. My foster parents were really gone. There was no turning back now. I was left with nearly 20 other kids and the greatest kung fu warriors known for the next month. I took a deep breath and followed the crowd of kids that was trailing after Master Shifu.

***

_Hope you like it. there's more coming_

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	3. Chapter 3: Secrets of the Furious Five

_Sorry it's been a while_

_Tried to keep this as close to _

"_The Secrets of the Furious Five" as I could_

_Special "Thanks" to all my reviewers_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 3**

**The Secrets of the Furious Five**

I couldn't believe how amazing the Jade Palace was. There were pagodas taller than any building down in the village. There were beautifully polished statues of famous kung fu warriors, carved from jade I assumed.

The crowd of us campers followed Master Shifu through the winding pathways of the palace grounds. Some of the campers were keeping close to Shifu. No doubt they were big fans too. And who could blame 'em? He had to be pretty cool to teach each member of the Furious Five (and Tai Lung).

We walked through another pair of wooden doors into a spacious courtyard. It was very neat-looking; as if it had been prepared. There were several cherry blossom trees planted against the high walls. A small rock garden was at one side of the yard and at the other end stood a brass gong.

Master Shifu looked around slightly puzzled.

"Panda!?" Shifu shouted through out the courtyard. "Where is he?" he half whispered.

_Panda? He was here!? My very idol was practically walking the ground we were standing on._

"If you all will excuse me, I must go find....... your instructor."

_Instructor? The Dragon Warrior was our first instructor._

"I trust there won't be any foul play in my absence."

A few of us nodded.

The second Shifu left, everyone started talking. I guessed many of them knew each other already. Some started doing what was (I'm sorry to say) _bad_ imitations of kung fu. _I really hope that's not how I look when I practice in my room._

A few minutes later the door burst open and there he was. In Kung Fu stance, ready to strike.

_God he was so cool! _

I looked around to see if any one else had noticed, but all the others were to focused on their imitation fighting. How could they not be in awe at his very presence.

Master Shifu was back again with him. I saw them talk for a second then Shifu left in a hurry which the Panda didn't seem comfortable with. He almost seemed nervous. How could someone like him be nervous. _Maybe he just didn't feel good or something._

He turned to face the campers who still weren't even aware of him being there.

"OK, if you could just take a seat."

I took a seat on the ground. He didn't seem to notice me. He was concerned that no one else had heard him.

He yelled a little louder, "Hey, hey! Settle down now!"

Still no better. I couldn't believe none of them were listening. I mean this was _the_ Dragon Warrior.

He sighed a little then in an instant he fly kicked the gong giving off an ominous crash that got everyone's attention.

"_**Get those cottontails on the floor!" **_

There was a simultaneous gasp from everyone else as they chirruped "The Dragon Warrior!" and they all ran to get seats in the front. I was eventually at the back of the crowd.

The Dragon Warrior smiled at us from his tall stature and began "Thanks. now, Welcome to the....

"Are we gonna learn the cool kung fu moves!?" One of the rabbits interrupted.

"Now we're really gonna start kicking butt!" I recognized it as Park's voice.

"Now hold on. Kicking butt is just a small part of kung fu.

It's awesome," He gave a high kick to give the line a little...... _kick_. "but it's small."

Everyone else seemed confused hearing this. It made sense to me Nearly every book I could get my hands on about kung fu training started off the book by saying how kung fu wasn't about fighting. Maybe I was the only one who had actually done any research.

"Kung fu" means _excellence of self._

Being the best you can be. That's what it's about, kids."

I saw one of the rabbits in a cherry-colored kimono closest to the panda shyly say "I wanna learn tigress style."

"Aren't we going to fight!?" Park protested.

"Yeah, like the Furious Five?"

"Yeah!"

"The Furious Five?" He playfully pondered. "They are cool, aren't they?

But it wasn't fighting that made them amazing.

No. They each had to learn the secrets of kung fu

before they became excellent."

That started the buzz.

"Secrets?"

"What secrets?"

"Tell us!"

He gave a sly grin. "I shouldn't really say. That's why it's a secret. It's top secret." I could tell he was hanging the bait out, but that didn't stop me and everyone else from pleading to hear these "secrets" of kung fu.

He gave in. "OK, but don't tell anyone I told you, or I'll deny it.

I'll be like, "What? I didn't tell 'em anything."

_Kung fu trained __and__ funny _

So the Dragon Warrior told us about how each member of the Five learned a different "secret" of kung fu.

It was really interesting, but even so every once in a while he had to call back some the campers attention to the story of the Furious Five.

Mantis fast but learned patience from being locked in a cage.

Viper was born without fangs but learned courage from saving her father.

Crane was skinny but learned confidence from completing an obstacle course.

Tigress was strong but learned discipline from playing with dominoes.

And Monkey was a prankster but learned compassion from Master Oogway.

When he finished, a bunch of them went back to there imitation fights. Almost immediately Shifu arrived and the Panda got that nervous look again.

I couldn't here all of it, but Shifu said something about how kung fu teaching was difficult.

Shifu asked a few students if they'd learned anything during the lesson.

Park blurted out "It's about fighting!"

I cringed. I hoped Master Shifu didn't think the Dragon Warrior hadn't taught us well just from hearing Park what park said.

"But it's also about having patience." some one else added. To which others said

"And courage."

"And discipline."

"And compassion."

The rabbit in the cherry kimono slowly stepped toward Master Shifu. "It builds confidence."

Shifu faced the Panda again with a pleasantly surprised look. "You... carry on. I'm going to meditate."

The panda turned back to us looking pleased.

"All right, good job. Not bad for your first day of training."

"Wait," one of the rabbits said. "What about you?"

"Me?" he questioned.

"Yeah, Tell us about your first day."

"Tell us!"

"Come on, tell us!"

_His__ first day. I can't wait to here this. _

He looked reluctant to say at first. I guess he didn't want to brag about it, but then he grinned. "It was totally awesome!"

I smiled. "Cool!"

His large stomach began to rumble. As he patted it he said "I think it's safe to say it's time for a break. Follow me this way to lunch"

The same group that crowded around Shifu swarmed around the Dragon Warrior now. I tried to make my way to the center of the crowd but the other kids made it impossible.

All in all the first day of this camp was going alright. Looking at the sun I guessed we'd been here about an hour.

***

_Thanks for reading, more soon_

_PLEASE review_


	4. Chapter 4: Thrown Off Balance

_Next chapter, hope it does well_

_Ps thanks for the spelling check __Kivu_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 4**

"**Thrown Off Balance"**

I could hear the other campers chattering to the Dragon Warrior asking him questions about his fight with Tai Lung, what the Five were like, etc.

I wanted so badly to tell him that I was his biggest fan and that he was my hero, but I'm sure there was someone else here who would some how out-do me. (the story of my life)

He led us to another section of the palace grounds where we would have lunch. It was some kind of outdoor kitchen partially under a porch of one of the buildings. Against the wall was a stove and oven behind a counter. Spread before it were a number of round tables and chairs. Several bowls of soup were layed out on the counter.

"Here's your lunch kids. Hope yall like it."

We all grabbed a bowl. There were noodles in the soup. I guessed the Dragon Warrior made this himself. The soup definitely tasted good enough to be made by him.

_Kung fu trained, funny, __And__ a great cook!_

_This guy is almost too much for me!_

Once we had all finished The Dragon Warrior said "Alright guys, time for your next lesson. Follow me."

He brought us to a separate courtyard where we were met by Master Crane of the Furious Five.

"Master Crane, there all yours. See you future fighters later."

And he walked away.

_Please, don't let this be the last time I see him_

"Good evening. I am Master Crane. I hope you are all enjoying your first day at kung fu training camp. This afternoon we will be working with some of the basic building blocks of kung fu; Concentration and balance."

He gestured to one part of the courtyard. There were a large number of wooden stakes, each sticking about a foot out the ground.

"We are going to practice balancing on these stakes."

I heard a few kids moan. Most didn't seem to be bothered by it. I mean, it's not like we'd be doing pro stuff our first day here, right.

"So everyone go get a stake."

I made sure I got one in the font this time. They weren't that big to stand on. Their flat tops were only about 5 inches in diameter.

"Balancing is one key component to starting kung fu training. It helps clear your mind and also builds up your strength.

"We will start with what is rightfully called "The Crane Balance." We'll try it on the ground before we do it on the stakes.

"Start by putting your hands at your waist."

We all followed his instructions although a few just put their hands at their side. I'm sure it probably did look weird.

"Good, Now lift your right leg a little bit off the ground in front of you.

Make sure you let the weight of your body drop to the inside of your foot."

I wasn't sure exactly what the "inside of your foot" was but my body interpreted it the best it could. _So far so good_

"Next, slowly lift your foot more, letting your knee bend a little every time. Remember to keep your toe pointed toward the ground. and we're gonna hold it there for a few minutes."

_Ok, this was a little harder, but still not too bad._ I saw some of the others lose there balance for a second and put their foot down. After a few minutes Master Crane said. "Good, now we will try on the stakes."

We all shakily got on our stakes and Crane repeated the steps.

"Hands on the waist

Right foot up."

I saw one of the pigs futilely try to keep their balance by waving their arms before falling to the ground.

After a few more seconds a couple more campers fell off theirs as well.

"Lift it a little higher. A little more."

_Now it's getting harder._ More campers were starting to fall. Every inch I lifted my knee seemed to jounce the stake.

"Try clearing your mind" Crane said.

_Clear mind_

_Concentration _

_Calmness_

I tried closing my eyes it helped a little but my foot kept twitching every time I swayed too much in one direction.

I opened my eyes. There were only 4 of us left on their stakes.

"For those that are still on yours, try lifting your hands. Start lifting in front of you until their over your head.

My hands were off my waist...... They were at my shoulders' height....

Then the wind blew. I immediately tried to regain balance but too quickly and I over did it and I was off the stake.

The wind had apparently affected two of the others as well.

"Well done!" Crane stated. "Our last person on their stake. Good job, mister.... What's your name?"

"Park." He said conceitedly, loud enough so that everyone could hear. _Why does it have to be him?_ As if that wasn't bad enough, a few of the kids started clapping.

"Well done Mr. Park. Well everyone, lets have another go."

A few more kids groaned as they reluctantly stood back on their stakes.

We spent the rest of the afternoon practicing the crane balance. There were fewer falls every time around. By the end of the day everyone had gotten a lot better.

Crane looked at the setting sun. "That will be all for today. It's important that you all get a good night's sleep tonight. Each of you has been assigned a room with two other people. No one is aloud out of the cabana's at night. If you are, you run the risk of being kicked out of camp." Crane began to read off the parchment that had who would room with who

I had been waiting for this. The person I roomed with was bound to end up a friend. As long as it wasn't-

"Park Ciepfoe," Crane read. "you are in Room 4.

And rooming with you will be…….

_Please not me_

Xanidor Grentow, and….

_God, Please not me_

"and..... Lucas Zhangji."

I gave a heavy sigh of relief and Park left carrying his bag.

Slowly the campers began to take there bags to their rooms.

He continued reading until everybody else had gone so me and Crane were the only ones in the courtyard. He was turning to leave when I said

"Excuse me. Master Crane,

He turned back to face me. "Oh, you. Yes, what is it?" His voice sounded like he was tired from a day's work but he was trying to keep his cool. I figured it was safe to guess that he wasn't use to being around kids all afternoon.

I figured I should just get to the point, so I wouldn't bother him anymore.

"I didn't hear my name called."

Really? Lets see..." he said looking back on the parchment. "What's your name?"

"Jo. Jo Crevan."

He glanced down the paper again and frowned at it. "I guess your name didn't make it on the list."

My eyes bulged to nearly the size of golf balls.

_I've been left off the list!_

I waited for Crane to address the obvious problem. When he didn't, I decided I had to say it myself.

"Where am I going to stay tonight?"

Crane seemed nervous, then smiled and just said "I'm sure none of the other kids would mind you rooming with them."

Anxious to get away he flew off.

'_None of the other kids would mind?!'_

_Did he know which kids he was talking about? Did he know he was talking about me?_

_Was I just going to end up sleeping on someone's doorstep tonight?_

I tried to keep my hopes up. Maybe someone would let me stay in there room and there wouldn't be anymore problems. Any one who'd let me stay in their room would have to be a friend, right. But if it's one thing I've learned in life, 'what you think will happen, never happen'

I spent the next half hour asking any one if I could stay in there room. None of them said yes. None of them even seemed to care. Some of them practically laughed when I asked.

It was well past sunset now, at the last room. But when I arrived, the door was wide open, so I walked inside.

As I'd seen from all the other rooms, each room had three beds and a small bathroom. This room was no different.

As I walked in praying this would be the room, a rabbit stood at the foot of one of the beds unpacking clothes from his bag. He was in a blue robe and his fur was a light cream-color.

"Excuse me."

The rabbit looked up from his bag. "Oh, hey"

"Hey um.... I know this is kinda weird but my name got left off the rooms list. Everywhere else is.... there all full. I was wondering if I could stay in here too."

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Well we have to see if there will be enough room." _At least he was __trying__ to spare my feelings._ "We're still waiting for our other roommate, some guy named Xanidor, to show up."

" 'We'?"

"Yeah," He pointed over his shoulder. "My other friend is in the bathroom right n...

The bathroom door swung open. My heart sank.

Park stepped out the bathroom. "Lucas, have you seen my..." I saw his large ears perk at seeing me. Reading his face I could tell he remembered me, but took a second to recall where. Then he smirked. "Well, if it isn't Mo."

"The name's Jo."

"Na, I think I'm just gonna stick with _streak-face_."

_He still hadn't gotten any new material_

I glared. "What do you want, Park?!"

"Well, what I want is for you to get the hell out of this camp, but since I'm guessing your parents are just trying to get rid of you for a month, it'll do for you to just stay out of my way."

Lucas kept switching his gaze between me and Park. He looked like a person thrown into the middle of a battlefield during a war.

He turned nervously toward Park. "He's doesn't have a room. Every one else said no. He was wondering..."

"You? stay in our room? Woulda thought you at least had **some** friends here who would let you stay in theirs, then again, I guess I'm not **so** surprised."

"Forget it. I'm leaving." I turned and stormed out the door.

As I trudged down the cloister walkway Park shouted through the door, "Why don't you go dig a burrow outside!"

I broke into a run.

I wanted to get away from it all.

Get away from everything;

Everyone!

I passed the Sacred Hall of Warriors. It seemed to loom over me, with it's large pillars towering to the roof.

For that split second I hated it.

It boasted it's greatness of a place.

It lied to me,

in such a place of greatness I felt worse than ever.

I wanted it all to end so badly.

So I kept running. I sprinted across the arena. The same arena where they announced the Dragon Warrior. Now, barren, empty and dark. How can this possibly be the same place I had once felt such joy.

by the training hall...... by the rooms where the five slept.... _He was in there. My hero was in there. _

_He would never know how much I admired him. _

_He would never even know I existed._

I kept running until I finally broke down. I was on my hands and knees in the dirt. I hung my head down.

I never wanted to get up.

To just stay here, at the outskirts of the palace. Where I'll go unnoticed.

Just like I've always been.

_Just like I always will be._

I looked at the ground below me. There were a few specks of mud made in the dirt. It took me a second to realize they were my tears.

***

_Sometimes we all need a friend huh?_

_Did you know giving reviews improves your eye site and makes your computer work faster! _

_Ok, it' doesn't, but Please Review, I really want to know what yall think_


	5. Chapter 5: The Peach Tree

_Spent alot of time on such a small chapter. Really hope yall like it!_

_I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Sindalstar. I never would have discovered this site if I hadn't come across your Kung Fu Panda drabbles online. Thanks alot! _

made up word: **amburbit**_- the outskirts or more abandoned area of a city, town, etc._

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 5**

"**The Peach Tree"**

The crickets were chirping now.

Still panting heavily from the run, I hung my head down staring at the growing number of droplets in the dirt, letting them come at will.

Watching them through my watery vision

Just watching

Waiting

Wanting

Wanting it to end

But the end didn't seem to want to come. I sighed and as I began to lift my head

I became aware that there seemed to be a faint glow nearby.

Looking around, I realized I had made my way to the amburbit of the palace, at the edge of Jade Mountain. There, not twenty feet away, was a small flight of stone steps leading to a ledge on the edge of the cliff. Perched there was a tree. It wasn't that large of a tree, but all the same it looked magnificent. Its branches were stretched out _like open arms_. Each of its leaves seemed to glow in the moonlight. It was easily the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

I crept up the few stone steps onto the large ledge and peered out over the edge.

The tiny village of the valley lay sleeping below the mountain. The houses were slowly beginning to settle in for the night _like I wish I could_ each of them slowly extinguishing their lamps outside their houses, down in the ant-like village. It seemed strange to think that people were right down there. Each with their own lives. None of them would even be thinking that someone was looking down on them from Jade Mountain.

The village didn't seem like it was part of the world I was in. All ties to the real world were cut off. I felt isolated from everyone else. _I'm starting to get used to that feeling_

I gave a heavy sigh shattering the deafening silence surrounding me. The crickets weren't chirping anymore and even the wind was barely a whisper through the leaves.

I just realized how exhausted my legs were from the running and let them give at my body's wait and sat at the base of the tree.

The tears had slowed down but they were still there, slowly finding there way down.

Tilting my head back against the smooth bark of the tree I gazed up at the stars. They never seemed this bright in the village. It was like deep endless velvet strewn with diamonds. The universe seemed so vast for just one person to create.

"God," I said "I pray that I'd be able to fit in here. I'm just not like everybody else. I'm so sick of being considered _different_. I keep trying to believe but nothing ever happens. Is my life so pathetic and worthless that I don't mean a thing to anyone? _**Just once**_, I wish someone would give me a break..."

"It's a nice place to sit when you feel down, huh?"

My heart skipped a beat. I turned.

Standing there, leaning against the tree, smiling almost too naturally, was the great panda himself.

***

_Thanks for reading. review Please!_


	6. Chapter 6: Po's Heavenly Wisdom

_When I originally started this idea I just wrote this chapter as the whole story. It wasn't until later i decided to make a bigger story out of it._

_So.......Enjoy_

_Review please_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 6**

"**Po's Heavenly Wisdom"**

I sprang to my feet. "The Dragon Warrior!" I placed my fist in my palm made a bow as best as I could.

He chuckled a little bit. "Woh, what's with all the politeness, little guy?"

_Was I being too polite? should I have said it differently? __say something!_

"Oh sorry uh.... Mr. Dragon Warrior, I uh....

He held up his paw. "Dude, it's OK. Call me Po."

"Oh um... I'm sorry.... Po. I'm sorry I'm not in the cabanas but I....." _What reason did I have to not be in the cabanas? I'm so gonna get kicked out of camp._

But Po didn't seem to care that I was out side at night. "It's a nice view, isn't it. you can see the whole valley from up here."

How long had he been there? Did he hear me praying?_ Did he see my tears?_

"So what are you doing way out here?"

" I... _It seems stupid to tell him my pathetic story_ "Just ....... thinking."

He smiled a little. " 'bout what?"

_Is he really making an effort to carry on a conversation with me, with out me even trying?_

"A lot of stuff I guess. Got a lot on my mind." I slowly sat down again.

He chuckled a little, yet it had a serious tone to it. "Been there. _**Believeme**_**.** I guess you could say, I've been in your place.

_**THWACK! **_He gave the tree a punch and it quivered from the force. 5 peaches tumbled down and rolled at our feet. He tossed me one of them and started working on his four.

"Go ahead. Try one."

I wasn't that hungry but..... I mean..... come on! This was the Dragon Warrior and he was the first person all day who seemed to even care. I decided to give it a try. I sunk my teeth into the peach and in that second I knew this was no ordinary peach. No lie, it really did taste _heavenly_.

He sat down next to me leaning his back against the tree.

"You know Oogway called this tree the 'Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom'. He planted it himself." Po said. "He traveled all the way from the Galapagos islands until he came here. When he saw the valley he wanted to commemorate it by planting a peach tree."

"Why a peach?"

"The peach represents longevity and renewal and its wood is said to fend off evil and petals have magical powers. He carved his staff from a branch on this tree. Some of its petals are occasionally strewn in the moon pool."

"Moon pool?"

"Oh that's right." He jokingly smacked himself in the head. "You all haven't had a chance to see the Hall of Warriors yet. Well, you'll get a chance to see it soon."

I remembered just passing the Hall of Warriors. At the moment I didn't think I wanted to see it again.

_Stop thinking!__ Keep the conversation going._

"So why did he want to commemorate the valley?"

"He said it was a place he could call home. That's why Kung Fu is so important to the Valley. When he knew this would be his home, he cherished it. He wanted to protect it. To protect the people in it. So he developed what is now Kung Fu. He taught Shifu. Shifu taught the Furious Five. And Shifu taught me. Really, we were all students of Oogway.

"So how was your first day of _**"Kung Fu Camp?" **_He said it with an exaggerated enthusiasm.

"Pretty good.... I guess." _Liar_

"Your muscles sore yet?"

I looked down at my self. "I guess not."

"Oh, they will be. It's been a while since I've come out here. But tonight there was _just something_ that told me to go for a night walk." He took a bite out of one of the peaches.

"What was that?"

"Well, I was in my room when I saw someone run by the window." He gave one of those sly grins again. "Whoever it was, they looked like they were in a hurry to get away from something."

I looked away. _So, he had caught me_

"I take it you're not just out here thinking."

I sighed. Something told me he was going to get it out of me eventually. "I guess not."

"So........ How come you're not off with everybody else?"

"I'm... I'm not like the others."

"Why ya say that?"

"I don't exactly fit in."

_I can't believe I'm telling him all this! Even if he is my idol and I've been dying to talk to him I'm surprised I'm telling such personal stuff. I can't keep pouring all my problems on him though. It's like showing weakness. I can't show weakness._

He stuck out his paw and gently brushed away a tear on my cheek.

_How did I miss that one?!_

"I know it stinks.

I remember the first day I was at the Jade Palace. It seemed like I couldn't do anything right. I felt like everyone hated me."

Something didn't register right. "I thought you said you're first day was awesome."

Po looked dumfounded, "Oh yeah....." He awkwardly stroked the back of his neck. "About that....I sorta stretched the truth on that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well to be honest........

I could tell he was looking for the right words, but then defeatedly said "My first day totally **Sucked**."

I wished I hadn't brought it up, I could tell it was bringing back a lot bad memories. "The rest of The Five totally hated me. Shifu didn't even want to train me and well....... I almost gave up hope. that I'd ever be able to become a kung fu master. I almost gave up and went back home."

_was he reading from the journal I never wrote or something?!_

"But one thing that I got out of that day was something Master Oogway said to me; "failure is a key ingredient of success."

I tried to process that for a second. "That doesn't seem to make any sense."

"Yeah," he chuckled again "Nothing really makes sense when Oogway says it the first time. But the more I thought about it the more I understood it.

So I tried more.... and I failed more. But when Master Shifu started putting me through extensive training he told me "confidence is that voice in your head you hear right before you fall flat on your face."

"Confidence sounds painful."

"Well, it was for me. Every time I got knocked down it got harder to get back up. But I kept getting up and eventually Master Shifu was able to train me to be what I am today."

"Yeah, but I always feel like I try so hard and get no where, and everyone else seems to get where they want so easily."

"You can't always judge how you do things based on how others do it. Master Shifu told me that too. He couldn't train me like he'd trained The Five. He said everyone's different.

That's why I always tell people. 'Be your own hero.' " He took another bite.

Before I even thought it through I said "But you're my hero."

Po paused in half-chew looking at me. He seemed shocked. Not breaking his eye contact he made a few small chews in silence then swallowed.

"Really? Wow, um....... no one's ever told me that."

I scanned his face for a sign that he was joking. I couldn't be the first person to think of Po as his hero, but he looked serious.

"But.... what about all the other students who ran up to you after the lesson?"

"Oh well. they just wanted to know all about the "cool moves" (as they called them) I used against Tai Lung, But not all of it's really teachable. ya know?"

"Yeah, I guess it makes sense."

We just sat their for a few minutes not saying anything. I played over the things he said in my head. Come to think of it. It not only made sense but it was encouraging. If he started off with a terrible first day maybe it wouldn't end so bad.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah. **Alot** actually."

"Well," He said rising to his feet "I guess we both should be getting to bed now."

_Oh yeah, that's how I got here_

"I don't have a room. My name got left off the list." I had already half considered just sleeping out their under the tree.

"Really? Well ya know..... I have an extra cot in my room that's available, unless....." he jokingly smiled. "You wouldn't want to."

_Was this really happening?_

"Of course! That'd be GREAT!"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

We started down the stone steps and set off back toward the camp. About half way there Po had stopped.

"I know it's a little late but I don't think we've formerly introduced ourselves."

He stuck out his paw "I'm Po."

I laughed a little as I shook his hand. "I kinda already knew that."

"What's your name, kid?"

"Jo."

"Is that what your friends call you?"

"I........" _I can't avoid this any longer_ "don't..... really..... have any friends."

Po seemed to frown for a second then smiled more brightly. He looked at me and placed his hand on my shoulder,

"You do now."

We kept walking along the Palace walkway.

My first day had gone from OK to bad to terrible to great in less than 24 hours.

For all I knew I could have died and gone to Heaven, but I'd later learn even the calmest ocean can deliver a storm.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7: Defending Po

_Thank you to all my reviewers and friends on fanfiction who keep me going_

made up words:

**nep-** _that lip smacking thing you do when you just wake up to remove the spit from your lips._

**cillumly-**_ raising an eyebrow. Not the condescending or the "your weird" kinda raising an eyebrow. More like the "pleasantly or quaintly surprised" _

_way_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 7**

"**Defending Po"**

I shifted over in my cot looking toward the window.

The sun was rising steadily as the day light fought its way through the cracks of the bamboo blinds over the window. Awake, but still too drowsy to get up, I let my eyes wander over his room. It was dark last when Po lead me to the bunkhouse so I hadn't gotten a good look at his room. He had quite a few Kung Fu posters on his walls, and a portrait of Master Oogway. On the floor next to the wall were several throwing stars. I saw the paper wall near them had several small holes in it. On a table in the corner sat a scroll of what looked like a sheet of gold foil, next to it was a scroll canister etched with the picture of a dragon. I pulled my blanket a little higher so it covered my shoulders. The blanket seemed like a patchwork quilt. Something told me it was sewn by Po himself. It looked alot like the stitched green shorts he was wearing.

_So this is real. It wasn't just the best dream I'd ever had. I was really rooming with The Dragon Warrior. _

I looked over at Po who had started to stir and then sat up in bed. He stretched his arms out and nepped a few times. He turned his neck towards the wall as it cracked then again in my direction. "Hey Jo." He planted his feet on the ground still sitting. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah I guess so-

The distant noise of the Valley's morning gong sounded into our room.

"Sorry, gotta do this."

He got up and opened his door, stood at attention, and with the rest of The Five said "Good morning Master."

Master Shifu said "Good morning to you all. The camp seems to be going well so far but as it's only been the first day, we can't make many assumptions yet." He walked down the hallway till he came to Tigress. "Master Tigress, I take it you are prepared for your lesson on punching techniques today."

"Yes Master." she said.

"Good," he turned to Po. "Po if you could go to the kitch-" Master Shifu looked around Po and came to see me standing at the bed. "Who is this?"

"Oh, this. This is Jo. He's one of the campers. He stayed... here... last... night." Po got nervous as Master Shifu's gaze turned to a scowl.

"Po, when you said you were up to the task of being a counselor at this camp I told you to take it seriously, not utilize the campers to throw your own sleep overs!"

"But master I...

"I'm very disappointed in you, Po."

Po began to speak again but then held back as if anything he said would mean nothing.

He placed his fist in his palm and made a deep bow. "I'm sorry Master."

Shifu seemed to accept his apology but didn't break his position or glare. "Go to the kitchen and start the breakfast."

Still keeping his head down Po said "Yes Master." and he slinked off to the kitchen.

The Five all looked uncomfortable. "I knew his impressive teaching yesterday was too good to last." Shifu muttered to himself.

He gestured toward me. "I suggest you come with me. I'm meeting with rest of the campers to take them to there next lesson."

I did as I was told and followed him. As I walked out the bunkhouse my eyes met Crane's who quickly turned away.

It apparently was a long walk back to the cabanas. I was starting to realize how far I actually ran last night. I guess my mind was too busy to think then. After five minutes of our walk in silence Shifu still looked angry. I couldn't let him keep fuming about Po. I felt like it was my fault. What if he said I couldn't room with him anymore? I decided I had to say something.

"Master Shifu"

Still looking forward Master Shifu said "Yes.... Jo is it?"

"Yes Master. Please don't be mad at Po. I was left off the list for rooms. It was late and there was no one who would let me room with them. He was just trying to help."

"He should have at least had the common sense to bring the matter up to me. I swear, I sometimes think that Panda doesn't even listen to me or learn from anything I teach him."

"He told me a lot of things last night he said that you taught him."

Master Shifu stopped and looked at me for really the first time. "He did? Like what?"

"That confidence is that voice you hear before you fall down. That everyone's different.

You can't judge how you do things based on others. He said you were the one that helped him be what he is now."

His face registered a mild amazement. "He said all that last night?"

"Yeah, it actually really helped me."

He thought it over a second then smiled cillumly and said "Well, I guess I stand corrected."

"So.... can I still room with him?"

"I suppose if you've learned this much from him in one night, there might be good use for you two to room together. He really talked about how I trained him?"

After a few more minutes we were at the cabanas. Many of the other campers were waiting outside already. Once Master Shifu got everyone's attention he lead us back to the courtyard from yesterday. Master Tigress was there this time. She had with her a large stack cushions each about the size of a door mat.

"Today Master Tigress will walk you through some of the basic punching techniques in Kung Fu and its relevancy to certain Kung fu styles. Give her your full attention." He turned to her. "Master Tigress, if any of them cause any problems, let me know." The he walked away.

Tigress began to pace in front of the small crowd of us campers.

"Three of the basic forms of punching are vertical, circular, & triangular."

Out of no where, her fist struck out at a group of campers and stopped nearly an inch from one of there faces. A few them cried out. "Circular punching, (now that you are all awake) is made to be a quick and fast strike, When performed your fist turns in a slight rotation. This strike is more common to Snake style of Kung Fu"

_She's not the counselor you mess around with. Even if someone did cause problems with her, they'd probably wouldn't even make it to Shifu_

"A Triangular punch is done at a slight angle with the index knuckle sticking out. In this way it gets all the impact." She demonstrated. "Due to its application in striking at pressure points it is used mainly in Mantis style.

Finally, vertical punches are sometimes called leverage punches. When done, you face your apponent in a sideways stance and bend your knees, like so, to give you stability so that when you hit, you hit with more force.

I'm going to pair each of you up with some one. One of you will hold it up while the other practices each of the punching techniques. Once you have done ten of each punch, switch up who is punching and who's holding.

Tigress aimlessly walked by the crowd and paired each of us up without barely looking at us. Then she came back around to give us each a cushion.

I ended up paired with the other rabbit who shared a room with Park.

"You're Lucas, right?"

"Yeah, uh do you want to punch first or...

"I can hold the cushion first, doesn't matter."

I held it up in front of me and braced my arms for his punch. He started with the vertical punches. I didn't feel too much impact but I figured it was his first time.

These cushions didn't have much cushion to them. They were pretty stiff.

While he was punching he said, "I guess I should tell you, you actually could have stayed in our room. Last night when Master Crane was making his rounds to see if everyone was in their rooms, he said that other guy who was supposed to have roomed with us never showed up on the first day. He must have dropped out of the camp at the last minute."

_He's still offering me a room after what had happened the night before? I'm surprised he.....cares._

"Thanks but I found a room already. Besides, it's not like me and Park would get along that well, no offense."

Lucas gave me a confused look. "Why would I take offense?"

"Aren't you two friends?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Not really, I mean, he always says we're friends but never really treated me like one. I think the word 'friend' means 'lackey' in his mind. I'm finished. It's your turn to punch."

_So it's not just me Parks a jerk to_

I started off with the circular punch, trying to make them quick like Tigress said. I saw her correcting a few campers on their stance or force as she passed by. I was hoping she'd walk by and see. But unlike Crane, she didn't seem too keen on giving out compliments. Whether she gave out compliments or not, I was determined that some of the masters here besides Po would at least notice the effort I was putting in.

* * *

_Sorry if this chapters a little slower than normal. Mores coming._

_In the meantime, why not review?_


	8. Chapter 8: Shifu's Dreams

R&R

made up word:** solcaric **_- suspiciously concerned _

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 8**

"**Shifu's Dreams"**

We had dinner that night at the outdoor kitchen again. Once everyone was finished Tigress lead the campers back to the cabanas. I started to leave when I heard "Wait Jo." Po was picking up some of the bowls left by the campers. "I have to clear the tables before I leave. If you wait a second I can walk back to the bunkhouse with you."

"Sure thing." I expected after what had happened this morning between him and Shifu, he probably just wanted some one to walk with. Not to mention I still hadn't completely learned the Palace grounds yet and probably wouldn't be able to find he bunkhouse on my own.

I sat at one of the tables till he was done then we started walking to the bunkhouse.

I had figured he probably didn't want to talk much but I guess I was wrong.

"Master Shifu told me what you said this morning... About the things I taught you last night."

"He did?"

"He apologized about what he said to me. Then he said 'Po, you never cease to amaze me. You've learned to teach people in a way most strive to achieve.' So thanks alot."

"It was no big deal. You helped me out first remember." _You gotta defend your heros_

"Yeah but still, it's not an easy thing to confront Master Shifu, for anyone really."

"Maybe it's just that I haven't seen what he's capable of doing to someone when he's _**really**_ angry."

Po laughed. "Yeah, you don't want to see him _**that**_ angry. I've seen him when he's that angry at someone. Actually I **was** the person he was that angry at. Don't let his littleness fool you. He'll put the hurt on you"

I laughed a little more.

* * *

I slowly got out of bed. Nature didn't just call, it shouted. Today's training had left me exhausted. At dinner I downed nearly three glasses of water. The fact that Po made the spicy chicken broth for dinner added about another glass to it.

Now I had to find the bathroom. I looked over at Po's bed. He wasn't there. He was probably in the bathroom too. It'd be just like him to chug down a bunch of water at dinner.

I'm not sure how, but I some how knew I couldn't have been asleep for too long. If I even went to sleep at all. I probably just dozed for a few minutes.

I made my way down the dark hallway. Po was right. This floor creaked alot at night.

I stopped. The light in Master Shifu's room was still on. The light from a lantern shed a soft light through the translucent paper wall. I noticed the door was ajar. I might have just kept walking except I heard "Sorry guys, I had to wait for Jo to fall asleep."

My curiosity got the better of me. I quietly looked inside. Master Shifu along with Po and the Furious Five were all sitting on the floor around the coffee table in front of his bed.

I could hear Master Tigress talking. "Master now that we're all present will you tell us why you've called us here."

Shifu sighed heavily,"I've been having these dreams.... with Master Oogway."

Tigress said "Master, it's only natural you'd be dreaming about him, you were both close friends-

"What I mean to say is... their not dreams _about_ Oogway. Oogway is... _visiting_ me in my dreams."

The six of them were all ears now.

"He has been telling me that there is a young one at this camp who will carry on to greatness in kung fu."

"Well that's what we were hoping for with this camp isn't it?" said Viper.

"I mean, _**Great**_ greatness in Kung Fu. As in.... they might be my future pupil.

They might follow in your footsteps. One day be a member of The Five, or be... well..... as strange as this may sound..... the next Dragon Warrior."

Po leaned in closer, "Did he say who?"

Master Shifu sighed sadly. "No. He said he can only _sense_ the person at camp. I'm guessing the very same way he could sense the Dragon Warrior's presence the last time.

"Will he ever know?" asked Monkey.

"He said that it's being revealed to him slowly. And he would slowly reveal it to us."

"Us?" questioned Mantis.

"Yes. We were all students of Oogway. Each of us has a portion of his knowledge. He said each of his students will be visited by him in their dreams.

Only when all the students dreams come together will it make sense."

"So each of us is going have dreams like this?" Crane said "When?"

"I don't know. That's why I want us to meet here every few days to see if he has revealed anything to you at night."

Viper looked confused. "What is he supposed to be telling us about it? What should we be looking for?"

"I'm not entirely sure. He said he will know the the student by their name. But he might not say it out right. He doesn't always speak verbally in these dreams. Sometimes you know what he's saying because... you just know. It's hard to explain."

" Master, have you had dreams like this before?" Tigress asked solcarically.

He sighed. "Yes, but most of the time it's words of wisdom or encouragement. This was the first time it's been something... different." He seemed to shake himself back to the subject. "But every night I want you to just open your thoughts. Allow Oogway to visit you. This might make it easier. We will meet again in a few days."

They all started to get up. I bolted down the hall way trying to avoid as much floor creaking as possible.

Once I got to our room I made for the bed but tripped over something in the dark. and fell with a loud thud.

The door opened.

"Whoah, you OK buddy?" Po asked.

"Yeah," I said stumbling to my feet. "Just tripped over my bag."

"What are you doing up?" He had a look of warm suspicion.

"I was... going to the bathroom. Do you know where it is?"

"Oh sure," he looked happily relieved. "Down the hall, past Mantis's room, and take a right."

"Thanks."

It wasn't until I got back to the room and layed down in the darkness when I allowed myself to think about what I'd just heard. _There was a camper here who would be legendary in Kung Fu. This is what I'd been waiting for. This could be my destiny. But it wouldn't just come easily. I had to work at it. And this camp would help. I had to keep training. To make it my Destiny _

_Jo Crevan, member of __The Furious Fi__- No, __The Strong__... or __Sensational Six. _

_Or maybe_, _Master Jo, "The Next Dragon Warrior."_

Yeah, I liked the sound of that.

* * *

_Good or bad, Let me know_

_Review_


	9. Chapter 9: The Hall of Warriors

_Sorry I'm a little late with this one_

_Hope yall like it!_

_R&R_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 9**

"**The Hall of Warriors"**

Master Shifu stood proudly in front of me and the rest of the campers at the entrance of the The Sacred Hall of Warriors. "Today you have the privilege of being given a tour of one of the largest collections kung fu artifacts there is."

I stared up at this massive building. It looked alot different from the night I ran past it. Not the dark edifice I remembered. It looked more welcoming in the early sunlight.

I felt it was strange how Master Shifu seemingly had no signs of the stress and confusion that he showed so much last night. He must be very good at hiding it. All the same, ever since I heard the conversation last night I felt like everything that this camp showed me was more important than it already seemed.

He opened the large mahogany doors and lead us inside. As the room really came in to view I heard each of the campers gasp in awe at what we were seeing.

Each of the pillars was jade green with a intricately carved dragon wrapped around them. The walls were adorned with artifacts and paintings of famous warriors. The floor was made of polished black marble. For the first time in a while the whole crowd of campers had gone completely silent.

"The Hall of Warriors honors the memoirs of fallen heroes who upheld the teachings of Master Oogway and used kung fu as a force for good. It is important to know about the history of Kung Fu. Much of it's principles are just as in affect now as they were then."

I have to say, alot of it was pretty fascinating. Shifu guided us throughout the hall showing us ancient relics of kung fu, most of them weapons of heroes past away.

The golden shield; the only thing left after the Battle of Fire Monkey Pass, The Battle so big and ferocious there was no one left to know who was in it or what it was even fought over.

Sword of Heroes, three weapons in one. I stared at it for a second just mesmerized by it's size, shape and gleam when I suddenly felt something nick me on my arm.

Invisible Trident of Destiny (which was pretty cool but not a whole lot to see), Lady Wind song's fan, an urn that looked like it had been smashed and glued back together, the iron fist of justice...

The golden spear "only the purest and bravest may wield this blade. Any one unworthy will be burned by it."

Now he led us to a small reflecting pool at the end of the hall. Behind it were rows and rows of shelves holding hundreds of scrolls.

"This is the moon pool. The moon pool is thought to be able to provide answers to the most difficult of questions. Visited by many who are seeking truth. Behind it is the shelves that hold 1000 sacred scrolls that hold all the secrets of Kung Fu both martial and spiritual. The scrolls were first mastered by Tai Lung who would eventually use what he learned for evil."

You could feel the uncomfortableness in the air at the mention of Tai Lung.

We approached a small whatnot adorned with candles. There lay a wooden staff that had apparently been broken into two. One piece had an open end like a rounded "Y." A large portion of the wall behind it was made of what looked like a cross between slate and graphite.

"These are the two pieces of Master Oogway's staff." His voice had gotten grave and shaky. "He carved it from a branch of the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. Tragically it was broken in the battle against Tai Lung."

Now there was no mistake. Everyone was uncomfortable. I think alot of them were glad once we were outside on our way to lunch.

The outdoor kitchen was waiting for us as usual. I was walking over to the counter when I heard "Pretty cool stuff huh?

Lucas had walked right next to me in the crowd. "Really like that fire spear. Weird how it can detect evil just from someone touching it."

"Yeah, looked really cool. I liked the Sword of Heroes best though."

After we grabbed our bowls at the counter I decided to take a risk. "Where do you think we should sit?" _What am I saying? he's probably already planning on sitting with someone el-_

"Yeah how about the one near the edge there." he said.

We got our table and sat down. After a few seconds Lucas said "There was something I was wondering yesterday; are you that same badger Park told to jump off a cliff a few months a ago in the streets?"

I cringed a little bit when he asked. _My past was still finding me. _I mean, it was a pretty awkward thing to ask. Not to mention I'd been trying to forget about it.

"Um, Yeah...that was me."

"Oh, sorry about that. I thought it might have been you. There aren't many other badgers in the Valley."

"I guess Park told you about that."

"No, I was there when it happened." _He what?! He saw that happen!_ "I'm sorry about what he said. Me and Livia both said we wished we had stopped him."

"Who's Livia?"

"Just a friend. She's over there."

I looked in the direction he was pointing. It was the rabbit in the cherry-colored kimono I'd seen a few days before.

"Lucas?" someone said through the crowd of campers.

"Over here, Dew." Lucas called back.

Another rabbit walked over to our table. "Sitting at another table today Lucas?"

"Just felt like mixing it up a bit." He gestured towards me. "This is another friend of mine."

_Friend? he just said we were friends?_

Dew looked at me. "You're from the Valley?"

_Don't seem so eager. play it cool_

"Yeah, I'm Jo."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Dew. Dew River Teng"

Lucas smiled. "He prefers Deward or Dewey though."

"No I don't!" he said sitting down at the table. His fur was gray, not as dark as Park's yet it somehow had a green tinge to it. He had short stiff looking whiskers.

"So-Jo, who's your favorite?"

"Favorite?"

"Your favorite kung fu warrior. Mine's Master Bull."

Lucas said "If we're talking dead warriors, then I don't know. Master monkey's my favorite living warrior. How about you?"

_don't even have to think twice._ "Po is definitely my favorite."

Dew gave me a inquisitive look. "Which artifact was Po's."

_Oh right, he must never use his real name. _"I mean The Dragon Warrior,"

"Oh, that's his name," Dew said. "Yeah he was pretty cool when we saw him a few days ago."

"That whole hall was cool, really." said Lucas.

I said "Imagine what it would be like to be one of the warriors in there."

"My advice, don't make something your goal when you should know you don't have a chance at it." said someone from behind. I turned around which was probably a bad decision. It only gave Park more satisfaction as he continued "Set your aim lower, then maybe you won't be so disappointed, Jo."

"And what? You think you have what it takes?"

"Who was it that stayed on there stake longest? Huh?" he asked patronizingly.

"That was one exercise. So what?"

"At least I've got ability. You've got less right to be here than that so-called _Dragon Warrior_. I can't believe that yall were practically drooling over him the other day."

"I remember seeing you in that same "drooling" group."

He smirked haughtily. "If it's one thing my families taught me, it's that kissing up will get you any where you want. By time this camp's over, I'll be up there with the masters." With that he turned and sauntered away.

* * *

_Thanks again for reading_

_Please review. _


	10. Chapter 10: Roommate Talk

_Next chapter, hope you like it_

_To Z.H. and J.H., the best roommates I ever had_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**  
**Chapter 10**  
"**Roommate Talk"**

I trudged into Po's and my room. Park's words had been stuck in my head all day. I was just barely able to pay attention to Crane's lesson this afternoon today on blocking. I lied down my cot and pulled a piece of parchment out of my backpack. I hadn't let anyone else know about this, not even my foster parents, just in case they thought it was weird too.

I occasionally wrote poems. I don't know why I did it. I didn't know if I even liked doing it. Either way I still did it. It helped _get out_ what I was thinking.

So I pulled out a pencil and started writing.

_**Who I am**_

_I'm here again  
I haven't won what I sought for  
I'll never make my dreams  
It's what I feared  
My dreams have fallen apart  
Now It's clear  
If I were to see what I really am  
It would only crush my heart  
What is this image I see  
I hate the fact that it's me  
Why am I not enough  
For everyone else  
To show love  
When will who I am be  
What they want of me  
When who I am be  
Who I want to be _

I finished the poem with my signature at the bottom right side of the page. _**Jo Dakota Crevan**_

There was a floor creak outside. I quickly stuffed the paper into a leather folder in my backpack right as Po opened the door. He could tell I had just done something in haste before he walked in.

"Hey, Wahtcha doin'?"

"Just writing something." I tried to sound casual.

"Writing what?"

"Nothing." I said too quickly for it to not sound nervous.

"Alright." he said happily unconvinced. His shamrock-colored eyes saw deep. It was strange how his eyes seemed to smile when he smiled.

He flopped down on his bed (the room shook a little) obviously tired. "Making soup for this many kids can be exhausting." he said staring at the ceiling. "Learned that working at the restaurant."

"Well, you're pretty good at it. All the campers seem to like it."

"Well I've been making soup since I was 3. I always guessed my dad wanted to start me off at an early age."

"You're dad taught you?" It was the first time Po had really talked to me about his past. Well, his past before he was the Dragon Warrior.

"Yep, he always says" he made his voice more high-pitched "'Po, we are noodle folk, broth runs through our veins!'"

I laughed. "He sounds funny."

"Yeah, but me and my dad just don't seem alike, almost like we're not even related. You ever felt like that?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, but it's because me and my parents _aren't_ related."

"Huh?"

"I live with my foster parents. They took me in when I was just three. That's when I came to the Valley of Peace."

"Oh, do you remember anything about your life before you came here?"

"Not much."

"Do you know where you were born?"

"Never asked." I thought for a second. "Ya think I should?"

"I don't know." he shrugged. "I probably would have. Are they... ok."

"Can't really complain. I mean, it's just '_not all there_,' if you now what I mean, but I can tell they try. I know; I've heard the stories about foster parents that treat there kids terribly and all that stuff. Nothings ever happened like that, but... I don't know, it's hard to explain.

"It's like there's a piece of you missing, right?"

"Yeah that's it. Just couldn't put it into words. Howdyou come up with that?"

"Can I tell you a secret Jo?"

"Yeah, sure."

He jokingly looked around as if to make sure no one was listening. "Sometimes I secretly think my dad adopted me."

"Really?"

"Well, a lot of people think I don't notice this but... he's a goose."

"He's a what! Wait, that goose who owns the noodle shop is your dad? I just thought he was your boss."

"He's my boss _and_ my dad."

"Did he go crazy when he heard you were the Dragon Warrior?"

He laughed "I guess 'crazy' pretty much sums it up, but he wasn't crazy excited. I think he thought Master Oogway was crazy. I had never really told him about my passion for kung fu before then, But eventually he grew to admire my decision."

"That's good. I know it's a lousy feeling thing when you're really into something and other people don't support it" _Or people tell you, you have no chance at it_ "Well, was he proud when he saw you defeated Tai Lung?"

"Yeah, he definitely was..." He turned himself over so he was resting on his elbow facing me. "Jo, can I ask you something else?" His voice gave an impression of un-confidence.

"Sure." His change in voice had made me a little nervous.

"Why am I your hero?"

_Second awkward question asked today. Isn't it obvious? Wait, Is it obvious? _I didn't exactly know how to answer that question. _Maybe I should just start from the beginning._

I sighed. "Po, the first time I saw you, you came crashing down to earth in a flash of light. I can't really explain it but when I saw you... I don't know... you inspired me. I wanted to be like you. And then you defeated Tai Lung. I'd heard all the stories about him. Everyone was freaking out when we were evacuating. I guess you could say that 'sealed the deal.' And then... that night, when you found me out there by the peach tree. You were the first person who seemed to know what I was going through. That night, you seemed to know the answer to everything."

His ears turned puce (which I guess with black ears was as close to red as they would get). "Jo, I don't know everything. Heck, I don't even know half of everything. I just remember wise sayings from wise people."

I smiled.

He let out a deep yawn, heaved himself up, walked over to the light and put it out. Some where in the darkness, he said "G'night."

"G'night" I said back. "Thanks again."

"What are heroes for?"

_to review, or not to review, that is the Question-_

_The Answer- REVIEW!_


	11. Chapter 11: What's Your Style?

_Next chapter, a little more about the Oogway dreams_

made up word:** atrove**_- a dull gray/green color_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 11**

"**What's Your Style?"**

"There different styles to kung fu." Shifu said. "We all have different styles of fighting. There are some styles rely on strength over agility and speed, while others are just the opposite."

The campers were getting a little restless wondering what exactly this speech was leading too. I tried to pay attention,_ You never know what's gonna be important._

That morning when I got dressed I put on my baggy black pants, the ones with two thin white stripes on each leg. Didn't wear the gold belt. The gold never appealed to me much with the black. But with the morning sun shining down, the blackness seamed to absorb the heat making it a little uncomfortable.

"But no matter what style a person is, having a style type helps to keep focus."

_Talk about keeping focused_

Zeng, the Palace goose stood by Shifu holding a large stack of papers. Next to him was a small can that served as a pencil holder. Shifu gestured toward him.

"This quiz will test your knowledge of kung fu and also help figure out what style or styles of Kung Fu you are most fit for. What ever your styles are will determine the masters you will train with more extensively. So if you will please grab a paper you may begin."

We all clambered for a paper nearly knocking Zeng over. Some were so rapped up in the moment they had to double back because they forgot to get a pencil.

We all spread out in different spots over the courtyard each filling out the sheet.

I looked at the paper, trying to ready myself for the first question.

**Name-** _Jo Crevan_

**Date of Birth-** _I wonder why this is important? Oh well... __June 6._

The first half had questions about the basic elements of Kung Fu and some not-so basic. Some of it was stuff we'd been taught in the past few lessons, some of it was on Kung Fu warriors we'd heard in the Hall of Warriors. I knew most of it from my previous research. I wondered if everyone else knew all this.

Then came the personal questions for finding your style.

**In which of the following ways would you disarm an apponeant?**... _B_.

**What is your ideal attack method?**_.... __D._

**What is most important to you when fighting?**... _A._

**Are you good at keeping secrets from people?-** _yes_

**Are you well balanced?-** _pretty well_

**Are you good at hiding?-** _yes_

**Are you subtle?- **_yes_

**Are you relatively small?-** _average size_

**Are you fast?-** _yes_

After quite a few more questions I was finished and set the paper where a stack of other finished ones was being formed.

I leaned against the courtyard wall for a second waiting for everyone else to finish. After a few seconds Dew came by and leaned against the wall too.

"What's up Jo?"

"Hey, Dew."

"How do you think you did?"

"Don't know. Knew alot, but I'm not sure if I knew every thing. What about you"

"Pretty well I think." He turned and looked at the rest of the campers. "Looks like Lucas is still working on his."

I saw Lucas was sitting next to Park. Park got up and went to turn in his paper.

_I wonder what his style is._

***************

I lay in my cot staring at the wall. It had been a few days since Shifu's meeting about the dream. _They have to be remeeting soon._ Po had put out the light 10 minutes ago. I'd been waiting listening for him to make his move to leave, but he hadn't budged. I decided to shift in my "sleep" and added a comfortable moan for a nice touch.

"Jo? You awake?" Po whispered. I remained silent to not give it away.

He gave a deep sigh and got out of bed. He slowly slid the door open and tip-toed down the hallway.

I waited 30 seconds before I decided it was safe, and then got up too. Po was already inside when I got to Shifu's room, the door slightly open and, the five were all there around the coffee table like the last time."

Shifu was talking. "Alright then, Po tell us what you dreamed, then Mantis we'll here from you."

Po seemed to be trying to call to mind something. "Well last night I had the dream. I saw what looked like a chalk board."

"A chalkboard?" Shifu said skeptically.

"Well......" Po looked a little uneasy. "I think it was a chalkboard, It was large, flat, that atrove green color, but it was kinda... shiny, I mean it glistened a little."

"Ok, well what happened with this...chalkboard?"

"Oogway was standing in front of it and kept saying, or _some-how_ telling me, 'Destiny in the name' whatever that means. "

He thought it over for a second. "Is that all?" Shifu asked.

Po nodded "Yes, well actually after that I started dreaming about that giant dumpling rising out of the lake of soy sauce again....

"Another time, Panda." Shifu turned his attention to Mantis. "Master Mantis, did you see anything like this in your dream.

Mantis thought for a second. "I think I saw what Po saw too, but there was more. I saw Oogway using his staff to write on the board. But Po was right he did keep saying 'Destiny in the name.' Then 'Destiny in the name' just appeared on the board."

Well what do think this dream means.

Po said "I feel like this.... this 'chalk board' is something we have."

Mantis continued. "And if we 'use it' some how it'll show us who the camper is."

"So we need to find a 'chalk board' ?" Monkey said trying to understand.

"Maybe it's not literally a 'chalkboard'" Po said. "but something like a chalkboard."

"Well, what's like a chalkboard except a chalkboard?" Tigress said.

Shifu said calmly "Whatever it is, it'll probably be apparent to us over time. Just keep clearing your minds before bed. I'm sure there will be more dreams to come."

"Master," Po started to ask "would it be alright if I went down to the village tomorrow. My dad asked if I could help him at the Noodle Shop."

"That will be fine, Po. I'll have Zeng make lunch and dinner."

"I can still make dinner. It's just the morning I'll be gone."

"Very well then. Master Monkey are you prepared to give your lesson tomorrow on the use of the bo staff....

I got up and walked back to the room, as long as they weren't discussing the dreams I figured it was better to leave now than risk being caught like last time.

I sat in my cot trying to make sense of their dreams.

_Something like a chalkboard? What else was like a chalkboard._

_But there had to be something else. Oogway's staff, what did that mean._

I closed my eyes tying to remember any thing I'd heard about it the day we were in the Hall of Warriors.

_It was in two pieces_

_One piece had an open end_

_It had been broken by Tai Lung_

_That uncomfortable feeling everyone had at the mention of Tai Lung_

_The whatnot it was on had nearly a dozen lit candles_

_The wall behind was some kind of combination of slate and graphite_

_**That was it!**_

_The wall behind where Oogway's staff was. It was made of some kind of slate but shiny like granite just like Po had said. Chalkboards were made of slate weren't they? or was it shale? Are they the same? _

_But either way that could be it._

_But what was "Destiny in the name" ? In the name of what?_

I probably would have kept thinking about it had I not been so tired. But I figured I wouldn't be able to solve anything logically with my mind this exhausted. So lay back and drifted to sleep wondering if I'd end up dreaming about the giant dumpling.

***************

_NOTE: Incase of emergency, review_

_Review if there isn't one either_


	12. Chapter 12: The Quiz Results

_Next chapter_

_Thank you so much to all my reviewers and subscribers_

_R&R_

***

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 12**

"**Quiz Results"**

"You sure you can make it to the cabanas?" Po asked

"Yeah" I said threading the gold belt through the loops of my pants. "I think I've learned the Palace grounds enough now. So I guess I'll see you this afternoon."

Po said "Well, Zeng will be making lunch today. I'm not gonna be here the rest of this morning."

Trying to not sound like I'd heard this before I casually asked "Really? Where ya going?"

He said plainly "Shifu is sending me on an errand in the village."

I stopped threading my belt. "Wait, Shifu is sending you on an errand?"

"Yeah, Don't know how long it will take." he said pulling some money out of a bag and putting it in his pocket.

_I wonder......_ "What's the errand?"

"Shifu asked me not to tell anyone."

_Oh, he's clever_

"But I should be back tonight to make dinner,

I finished threading the belt. "Ok……… well... I'll see ya then."

I walked out the bunkhouse down the path to the cabanas trying to figure it out. Why would Po not tell me (or more importantly Master Shifu) about what he was doing? _So where was Po going?_

He couldn't be going too far because he said he'd be back by the afternoon. And he brought money with him. Why? Was he keeping something a secret?

***

Just like the other day, Shifu had us gathered in the courtyard. The only difference this time was Zeng was holding a box filled with many rolled up parchments.

"These are the results of your quizzes. This is the first step to extensive training. I hope you all will support your style and take them on seriously. Be proud of your ability." He pulled out another piece of paper. "When I read your name please come up and get your scroll."

He started reading off the list. When I finally heard my name I went up to Shifu. As he handed it to me there was a look of inquisitive interest in his eyes, as if to say "Let's see what you'll do."

Everyone else was reading their scrolls and comparing it to others. I looked at the scroll in my hands. I suddenly realized that whatever style I got would make a considerable difference in how my performed Kung Fu. I hoped I did alright with the quiz. If it would help me be the camper Oogway was talking about, it was important to me.

I looked up from the scroll and saw Lucas looking at his own paper. "Hey, Jo."

"Sleep well?" I asked jokingly.

"I wish. Park was talking all night about how certain styles are the best fighting styles and how 'only the best get it'."

"Well, do you know what he got. For that matter, What did you get?"

"Not too well on the knowledge part. I got 70% Crane, and 30% Monkey. I'll get to be taught by Master Monkey! Park got Leopard with some Tiger."

Dew walked up, his paper already unrolled. "I've been asking around. It seems like a lot of people have tiger, there's quite a few cranes and snakes too."

I glanced down at his paper in his hand. "How did you do, Dew."

"Fair with the knowledge, 55% Leopard, 45% Monkey."

"Wow, that's pretty close" I said.

Lucas's face brightened more. "Hey, this means we have a class together."

"All right! How 'bout you, Jo?"

"Haven't opened it yet." I unrolled the parchment. They both leaned over my shoulder as we all read.

_**_________**_

_**Jo Crevan**_

_**Knowledge of Kung Fu- 92%**_

_**Style(s)- 50% Panda **_

_**50% Leopard**_

_**Leopard style- Leopard style relies greatly on upper body strength, speed, agility, all ruled by an equally important cunning mind. Leopard style is meant too pinpoint and exploit the weaknesses of any opponent. While similar to tiger, leopard style is often considered slightly fiercer.**_

_**Goals of Leopard style-**_

_***Develop muscle speed for external strength.**_

_***Teach patience**_

_***Use the leopard punch for penetration and lower body springing power.**_

_**Panda style- A relatively new style in the art of Kung Fu, Panda style works with embracing ones own nature, exploiting physical attributes, and using perceived weakness as strength. One of the key words to Panda style is "improvised"**_

_**Goals of Panda style-**_

_***Go beyond what is seen as capable**_

_***Develop quick thinking in improvisation in any situation **_

_***Enhance striking strength**_

_**________**_

"Woh, 50/50, your's was closer than mine. That's weird, I haven't heard of any one else getting Panda style."

Lucas stared at it. "Aw, we're not in the same class. At least you'll still have a class with Po." _Po would be teaching me. That was a definite plus. Not that he hadn't already taught me a lot._

"Except this means I'll also be having a lesson with Park too."

"Kung Fu training has its prices I guess." said Dew chuckling.

"Do you know what Livia got?" I asked.

"Yeah," Dew said. "I think she said her's were Tiger style with some Snake."

Master Shifu stood up again and cleared his throat. We all went quiet. _Man, he's good at doing that_

"Soon, you will be training in the afternoons with the Masters of your styles. Master Tigress and myself will alternate in the teaching of Leopard style."

Dew said "Not like there's anyone in the Valley trained in Leopard style that's not evil."

"Or alive" Lucas added.

_That same uneasy feeling_

***

_Thanks for reading. I've been having a little case of writer's block lately._

_Review_


	13. Chapter 13: Leopard vs Panda

_The next chapter is up!_

_R&R_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 13**

"**Leopard vs. Panda"**

"If any of you read the details of your quiz results, you know that leopard style is greatly influenced by increase of speed, strength, and patience."

There were only about 7 of us in the leopard class. Three of which were me, Dew and Park.

Shifu continued "You must commit to memory the different strikes of leopard style and they will soon become common knowledge to you. leopard's claw, the kung fu knife hand, leopard's fist, and the Phoenix eye, each a different technique of striking."

_More striking techniques_

It was gonna be hard to not confuse these with the ones we were already taught. I was glad today was just the introduction to the classes.

"As I have said, Master Tigress and I will alternate in teaching this class."

Park was showing what I knew too well was pretend interest. I hoped Shifu and the rest of the masters were able to see through his attempts. It was bad enough he was in the same class as me, the last thing I needed was the Masters thinking he's good enough to be…… good.

"Also in this class, in advancing your speed, expect running exercises." A few people groaned. This was gonna prove to be a tough class. "We will start many of the striking exercises tomorrow.

"Those of you learning Tiger style, stay here, those of you learning Panda style go to the open space next to the training hall, and finally people learning monkey style go to the front courtyard by the gates."

As I started walking away Park butted shoulders with me just to be annoying. "Have fun kissing the Dragon Warrior's feet." He said in a whisper.

I glared back at him. _How am I getting this mad over such pathetic jokes?!_

I started down the pathway to the direction Master Shifu had said, I realized it was along the same path I took when I first found the Peach Tree. As I walked I wondered about Park. _Could kissing up really get him to where he wanted? Was "where he wanted" where I wanted to too?_

I just noticed I was the only one going down this pathway. None of the campers in any of the other classes were nearby. I can't be the only person in this style, _could I?_

"Well, I wasn't exactly expecting a lot of people." Po said when I was the only person who arrived. "Panda style is still new. It's still catching on. Somehow, I kinda knew you would get it."

"So…………… how do we get the ball rolling." I asked.

"Well, as you might have heard, Panda style is driven by the strength of one's self, but it must be embraced the right way. Much like the way Master Shifu trained me to defeat Tai Lung."

For the first time at the mention of Tai Lung I didn't feel any hesitancy. "How do you mean?"

Po went on "Tai Lung, like me, was a student of Oogway and Shifu, but we were both taught considerably different. Tai Lung was taught numerous severe attacks. The biggest being his nerve attack."

"Nerve attack?"

"He learned this nerve attack, supposedly from Shifu, although I've never seen him use it. This move, it paralyzes you. You can't move at all. When he does it he goes for either your chest or stomach he extends out his fingers and for a split second you can see his fingers turn electric blue. He took out each member of the furious five with it. Then he tried to use it on me."

"How did you survive it?"

"He wasn't able to reach the right nerve points. Too much padding." He patted his stomach. "The only time this guts ever come in handy. But that's another point to Panda style; using what you've got.

"You also have to learn to think quickly, to reason. You have to look at your opponent and figure out what their weakness is. One sec, Let me think of an example…." He racked his brain for a minute before he said "Ok, Ya get an enemy who's sorta top heavy, what do you do."

_I was being tested already? What was this? a pop quiz! I guess this what he means by thinking quickly._ I thought for a second and then said "Attack them at the feet? Or..... trip them?" I wondered if that sounded stupid.

"You got it!" Po exclaimed.

_It came that easily?_ I started to like the freeness of this style

"Now in Panda style we're also gonna work with striking and blocking. Might even learn a few three inch punches. And we'll see where it goes. That's the other thing about Panda style; it's improvised. And we'll start covering some of these elements tomorrow.

"And! in honor of you being in Panda style, let alone the only student in Panda style I'd like to say……"

He produced a small wrapped package from his back pocket

"Happy Birthday."

I took the package carefully in my hands. It was wrapped in a wrapping paper of alternating jade green and lime green stripes. _Did he say "Birthday"? Why did my mind have to go completely blank now? Wait, Camp began on June 1. So… today was the 6__th__!_

I ripped off the paper. It was a red sash belt. As I picked it up I let it run through my fingers. The outer touch was soft like velvet or silk but the belt itself had strength to it.

I looked at him in amazement as he watched with a pleased expression. "How did you know?"

"Just thought you needed something to go with those black pants of yours. Those are the only pants I don't see you wear a belt with."

"No, I mean how did you know it was my Birthday."

"I may have snuck a peak at the quiz papers in Master Shifu's room."

"Where did you buy this?"

"Got it from one of the Kung Fu clothing shops down in the Village. He gave another one of his sly grins again. "I wasn't exactly running an errand for Shifu yesterday."

_Of course!_ "So that's what you were doing!"

"Yeah, I thought I'd surprise you."

"Well…… thanks! I love it."

"One more thing," he said holding up a finger. "Now that you're a member of Panda style, you have to learn "the Panda handshake."

He held out his hand, palm up. "Slap it"

I warily did as I was told.

With my hand still on top of his, he wiggled his fingers against my palm like he was trying to tickle it. "Feel the thunda!"

Then he made a fist and popped a fake gun with his fingers. "And Skadoosh!"

"What's Skadoosh?"

"Ah it's just a meaningless phrase. Let's try it one more time."

We performed the handshake saying together "Slap it, Feel the thunda! Skadoosh."

"We'll work on that later." He said with a smile "It's a strange shake. But it'll be on the final exam."

***

_Happy Birthday indeed! Jo's pretty happy_

_Thanks for reading!_


	14. Chapter 14: Blood Boiling

_Ok, so I added something a little dark to this chapter and want to know if it's good._

***

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 14**

"**Blood Boiling"**

Over the next few days, we continued in the Leopard and Panda lessons. Master Shifu was right when he said there would be running exercises. The next day we had to run five laps around the entire palace Arena. I was actually surprised with how fast I was, not to say that I wasn't completely worn out after the laps. We continued with the striking techniques, many of the strikes were once again taught by Tigress, but this time we were giving punching dummies to practice them on.

So right now each of us was working with the dummies in practicing strike force and aim. The only trick was every time you punched the dummy it bobbed backwards and you had to wait for it to bob back up and then you had to dodge it so it didn't smack you when it bounced back up.

Shifu would occasionally "make his rounds" (as we started calling it) to see how each of us were doing.

As he was walking by, I saw him linger where I was punching mine.

_Just concentrate. Don't screw up in front of Master Shifu.  
__Leopard's claw to the shoulder  
__Knife hand to the neck  
__Phoenix eye to the rib  
__Palm heal strike to the chest  
__Leopard's fist to the stomach_

"Jo, what was that?" Shifu said.

_Darnet! You let your guard down for one second…  
_"Sorry Master Shifu, that was a… circular punch."

"Try to sort out your punches. Other than that, you seem to being doing very well."

"_very well?" "_very well_" was good. Not great, but it was still pretty good. I'm ok with that, but I can improve it._

"That will be all for today. You may now report to your next lesson."

As I walked away I was thinking so much about my slip-up I didn't even notice Park's leg sticking out until I tripped over it.

He looked down at me pompously. "Looks like your balance is as bad your punching." _I'd like to show him how bad my punching is_

I got up and instantly felt a pain on my arm. I had scratched it on something when I fell and it left a small cut on my forearm. It wasn't big. Nothing that wouldn't heal in just a day or two, but still, it hurt. The scratch began to slowly ooze blood.

***

Park was standing on one of the wooden stakes laughing at me, then his stake started to gradually rise till it was practically 30 feet tall and still rising. I was trying to hit the stake but every hit bounced me back. Then Park started grabbing lightning bolts out of the clouds and throwing them down at me. Then he started "riding" the stake down, now like a giant oak tree falling over, falling on top of me-

My eyes slammed open as I sat up in my cot. I felt my heart racing and my back felt sweaty (now that I felt it, my whole body seems to have broken out in sweat). I rubbed my forehead a little trying to reassure myself it was just a nightmare.

_Why did he have get leopard style too?_

I heard a small grunt and turned. Po had just turned over in his sleep. He flopped over to lie on his chest letting his arm dangle over the side of the bed so it grazed the floor.

Somehow Po brought a sense of security and clarity to my mind. His presence seemed to slow my heart rate. I felt safer. Like he was some kind of a guardian. _He's been my guardian. A protector.  
_He had a content look on his face. He was probably having a good dream. Maybe one from Master Oogway.  
He let out another small grunt. "Maybe I shouldn't wake him..." _What am I saying?! I was about to wake up Po just because I had a bad dream? What am I five? _

My body wanted to sleep but now my mind was racing. I decided I'd get out a piece of paper and write some more. It was what I usually did when I couldn't think straight.

I lit a candle and started writing. It wasn't something I usually did in the presence of anyone else but Po was fast asleep so I didn't think it would matter.

Still in a daze from sleep I didn't even think about what I was writing. I just kept my pencil moving until my drowsiness came back. My eyelids got heavy and my head fell forward hitting the hard edge of the cot. I shook my head a little in pain. I realized I had my elbow resting on my paper. I smoothed it out and read what I didn't even remember writing.

_**OUT FOR BLOOD**_

_**So long I've taken  
**__**Your insults and abuse  
**__**Now it's not about what I have...  
**__**But what you have to lose  
**__**Let there be a big gash  
**__**Let it slash  
**__**Let it split, split like an ax  
**__**Think it's over?  
**__**That's not even my max**_

_**Once your soul bleeds  
**__**My soul is freed  
**__**Once it starts to go  
**__**Then just let it flow  
**__**Until life itself is dead  
**__**Flow deep and red  
**__**Until it's a flood  
**__**If it's not already been shown  
**__**Just let it be known  
**__**That I am out for Blood**_

I just stared at it for a second in complete disbelief. _How did this...I __couldn't__ have..._ But the signature at the bottom clearly read _**Jo Dakota Crevan.**_

I looked over at Po to make sure he was still asleep.

Before I had a chance to re-read another single word I crumbled up the paper, chucked it in the small waste basket by the door and blew out the candle.

* * *

_*****__**Deleted scene from this chapter**__*****_

Master Tigress and Viper walked under the cloister walkway back to the bunkhouse having just finished their weekly routine of making sure campers were in bed. It would be some one else's turn the next day most likely.

"Any dreams yet Tigress?"

"None yet. But I've been trying to clear my mind every night."

"Me too. I've been waiting for mine but……" Viper seemed to hold back. "In all honesty, it'd be nice to see Master Oogway again"

"Viper, Master Oogways gone. Even the dream won't bring him back."

"I know." Viper said "But still, it's better than nothing."

"I guess you're right," said Tigress. Truthfully, the same thought had crossed her mind as well.

"So, do you have any guesses on who the camper is yet?"

"Actually I've been getting this weird vibe from one the campers."

"Which one?"

"The gray one, with the dark marking on his face."

"You'll have to be a little more specific. Which one?"

*******

_Does Jo have a dark side? Let's hope not._

_Review_


	15. Chapter 15: Back to the Chalkboard

Made up word- **creddingly-**_in thought; while thinking or reasoning_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 15**

"**Back to the Chalkboard"**

The whole day I did my best to forget about what had happened last night. But sooner or later I wondered what it was I was trying to forget about and it came up again. I tried to convince myself it was all part of the nightmare, but I couldn't fool myself. _This was __loads__ worse than the nightmare_

_Were these feelings that I'd __been harboring inside __of me that I'd never known about before? Or have I known about them and I just didn't want them? Or did I want these feelings even though I new they weren't good?_

I wondered if I would want to write any more poems again. _Would they all end up being like the last one?_ I decided I'd only write them when I was in a clear state of mind so no unexpected ideas would come up again.

I think even Po started to notice I wasn't myself today. He gave me more examples in quick thinking today and I wasn't as on my toes as I probably should have been. I almost forgot to do the handshake at the end of the lesson. He didn't ask if anything was wrong but I could tell he wanted to.

But there was more to think about than just some bloody poem. Tonight was bound to be another secret meeting night. If I got to our room first and got in bed he might just head off to the Shifu's room then. In all honesty, I felt a little bad that he was always late because he had to wait for me to fall asleep.

As I walked into our room my eyes caught the waste basket at the door. The trash had been emptied that morning so there was no evidence about what happened last night except my memory of it.

_Memory of what?_

_Let's keep it that way_

I lied down on my cot just staring at the ceiling. I thought more about the dreams they had had last time. I hadn't spent much time trying to figure it out. The slate wall had to be what they were dreaming about, but it didn't explain how to "use it" as Mantis and Po said. Was I suppose to write on it with the staff to "use it." But what would I write? Even then, what was supposed to happen? Was a giant "Yes" or "No" gonna appear on the board. After five minutes of thinking I realized my blanket was only covering my feet.

I was about to cover my self with it when I heard the door begin to slide open. I immediately lay back down and pretended to be asleep. I heard Po's heavy footsteps walk into the room. He stopped right at my bed. The cold air from the hallway rushed in through the open door and a shiver ran through my body. Po pulled the blanket up so it reached my shoulders. As he edged the blanket there, I felt his short soft fur brush against my arm.

"Rest up future fighter," he said to what he thought was me sleeping. Then he walked back out the room.

* * *

When I got to the Shifu's door I heard Master Viper talking inside. "It's just like Mantis and Po said, Master; A shiny chalkboard. Except, Oogway wasn't using his staff to write on it. He was holding it out in front of him. And he kept facing the board and saying "Destiny of the name."

"I see." Shifu said creddingly "A little bit more is told with every dream. And what about your dream, Monkey?"

Master Monkey began "In my dream, after he said "Destiny of the name," "Name" appeared on the board and then it somehow morphed to form the word "Destiny." After Master Monkey finished

"Well" Master Shifu said leaning back on his cushion sheet. "now it's more than obvious that "name" and "destiny" are the frequent subject matter of these dreams. There has to be some importance in the camper's name.  
As I recall in his early dreams to me, Oogway did say he will know the camper by their name."

"But Master," Tigress said with a slight uncertainty, "We still don't know what this chalkboard is or how it… works."

Shifu began fidgeting with his hands nervously rubbing the cloth on the edge of his large sleeves. "I have a few hunches already but all of them have yet to be proven. The fragments of Master Oogway's staff must hold great significance also. I'll go examine them in the Hall of Warriors tomorrow."

They started talking about the lessons planned for the rest of the week and I decided to head back to our room to think the dreams over.

If Master Shifu went to the staff tomorrow with the idea of a chalkboard on his mind there was a chance the slate wall will become evident to him, he'll put two and two together and it'll be one step closer to figuring out the camper.

I thought about how he kept saying "Oogway will recognize the camper by their name." Maybe you had to write your name on the slate wall. But still it felt like the camper's name varies indefinitely with the destiny. The dreams made it sound like the name was the destiny, or it became it.

I smiled at a thought, "what's in a name?"

_Jo Dakota Crevan  
_There wasn't much about it  
It was pretty average  
_Average Jo_

I let out a low exhale._ If that isn't that the story of my life, I don't know what is?_

***

_Thanks again for reading!_

_Review_


	16. Chapter 16: More Secrets

_Sorry I'm a little late, hope yall like it._

* * *

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 16**

"**More Secrets"**

It was after dinner. Dusk was just starting to take over the Valley. I find it strange how the sun, that low in the sky, can still make such a difference between day and twilight.

As the sun was setting, details were lost in the trees and buildings as they darkened slowly becoming shadows silhouetted against the ochroid sky.

Me and Po were heading down the walkway back to the bunkhouse.

Po turned his head toward me. "So, you happy with today's lesson?"

"I'd be happy if I could just make it past level 0." I said only slightly frustrated.

"Hey, don't sweat it, I'm the whole reason there is a level 0 at the Jade Palace. The 3 inch punch is something that takes a little while."

I thought back through the lesson Po had taught today. When I had gotten to our usual training spot Po had set up some sort of frame to hold pieces of wood in place above the ground. Basically they were pairs of thick post in the ground that held up a sheet of wood in between them a little below shoulders height. I would have ventured to say that they were tall fence sections.

Po demonstrated the punch on the wood. He stuck his hand out flat so the ends of his fingers were touching the wood. "Finger tips on the wood, curl you fingers into a fist. This will leave about 3 inches between your fist and the wood. Hence the name "3 inch punch." Then-

_**BAM **_

Po's punch broke the wood in two.

"Ow!" Po said pulling a sliver out of his hand. "Watch out for the splinters."

So the rest of the lesson was pretty much spent getting the form down. Too many times I accidentally drew my fist back farther than 3 inches.

Only by the end of the day did I actually get in a few punches.

Po tried to get me in the zone by repeating stuff like

"Show that wood who's boss!"

"I got your game right here!"

"Visualize the cookie"

As we walked into our room I asked "Po, just out of curiosity, what was with 'visualize the cookie.' ?"

"Oh yeah, about that, that's just something I tell myself to sike myself up when I'm training."

I sat down on my bed a little confused. "How does that help?"

"I just picture one of Master Monkey's almond cookies on the other side of the wood. And then I just think 'the only thing keeping me from that cookie is a thin piece of wood.' No wood stands a chance when I'm in that mode."

I laughed a little. "Are there any other secrets to Kung Fu training you haven't told me yet?"

"I told you a secret last time. How about you?"

Secret.

True, he did tell me one of his secrets the last time we were talking at night in our room. But what secret did I have? I guess I should be saying 'which one should I tell him?'

_I write poems_

_I wrote a gory poem without even realizing it_

_I thought that rabbit in the red kimono was pretty _

_I sometimes hate who I am_

_That night on the cliff, I was thinking about jumping_

Finally I blurted out.  
"I used to tell my secrets to the poster of you in my room."

I waited for Po to slowly turn his gaze away from me with an awkward expression. No such expression came. Just a look of affable interest "What kind of stuff?"

"A lot of stuff." I kept my voice low in case any of the Furious Five heard through these literal paper-thin walls. "Secrets, if something had happened that day, stuff I wouldn't tell anyone else. I know that sounds really weird."

"Nah," He shrugged, "I think it just means you're lonely. I mean, you're with your adopted parents who you don't exactly see eye to eye with. You said you hadn't had many friends. I think you just needed someone to talk to. We all need that sometimes."

"I guess so." _He always knew how to make me feel like I wasn't so different._

I had liked that poster alot. I always thought it would be the closest I'd ever come to being in the same room as the Dragon Warrior. _Look how far I've come in the past month or so._

He asked playfully "Do I look cool in the poster?"

"The coolest." I said smiling. "You're doing the Wuxi Finger Hold in it."

"Ah, the Wuxi finger hold," he said reminiscing "just a pinch of their finger, a flex of your pinky and..... well I can't say everything."

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me that sorta stuff."

"Not the Wuxi Finger Hold, Even Master Shifu didn't teach methe whole thing."

"Then how did you know it"

"It's hard to explain."

"Isn't everything in Kung Fu?"

Po cracked up a bit at that. "I guess that's the first thing they should teach here."

Po yawned. "Well, I'm about ready to hit the hay."

"Do you mind if I light a candle. There's just something I want to finish."

"No prob" Po said. "Just put it out when your done." He rolled over on his side. "G'night, Jo"

"G'night, Po"

He soon dozed off. It was kinda funny the way his nose kept twitching when he slept. I held back a small laugh. Once he started doing his soft snoring I took out another piece of paper.

_**In the Comfort of Friends**_

_In the comfort of friends  
__I find my peace  
__After so much isolation  
__My mind is at ease_

_Surrounded by my crowd  
__I have found my place  
__I find the strength of my soul  
__By the support of their embrace_

_They see what others don't  
__They take in more than what's face  
__And that's why I'm happy  
__With them I know I'm safe_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan**_

I looked back over the paper at my own handiwork. I was pleased with it. I didn't know if it was my best but I liked it, _alot more than the last one._

* * *

___Posters, Poems, & Po  
Thanks for reading_

_(To the tune of Journey's "Don't stop Beleiving")_

"Dont stop reviewin'  
keep on what you're doin'"


	17. Chapter 17: Lunch and the List

_Thanks again to all my reviewers and readers_

* * *

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 17**

**"Lunch and the List"**

Master Crane walked down the path to the Bunkhouse. He had just checked to make sure all the campers were in their cabanas. Usually going this long a distance at the Jade Palace, he would have flown but the few close trees near the bunk house made it hard. Not that he wouldn't be able to do it. He had flown through tighter obstructions before. He smiled remembering the obstacle course at the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy. The course that had made him an official student.

But he was still tired after a long day and didn't feel like wasting his energy maneuvering around obstacles if they weren't trying to kill him.

As he approached the Bunkhouse he saw Master Tigress on the porch resting against the wall.

Tigress, what are you still doing out here?

"Waiting for you." she said matter-of-factly

"Me?"

"I was visited by Master Oogway last night."

"Really? Why don't you tell Master Shifu."

"I'm going to tell him tomorrow when we have our meeting, but I need to tell you about it tonight."

"Okay……What exactly?" Crane was confuse what he could do about it now.

"Do you still have the list Master Shifu gave you at the beginning of camp, of campers in the room groupings?"

"I think so, Why?"

"Leave it out while you sleep for the next few nights.  
Master Oogway told me he can still only sense the right student but, I got from him that if he's shown the campers name he might be able to reveal who it is to us. Shifu was right. He'll know the camper by his name."

"I'll go look for it now. Thanks for telling me."

He passed by her into the bunkhouse. As he walked in he heard a loud snore come from one of the rooms. Crane sighed "How does that kid Jo sleep sharing a room with Po snoring that loud?" Then he realized the snoring was coming from Master Shifu's room."

* * *

I spun the noodles in my bowl of soup absentmindedly with my chopstick as every stir released more wafts of steam.

"Are you gonna eat your lunch or just keep stirring it?" asked Lucas.

"Just letting it cool." I said looking at the steam lingering over the surface of the soup like ground fog.

Dew was stirring his too but was taking occasional bites.

"Learn any more with the bo staff in Monkey style yesterday?" I asked them.

Dew swallowed a small mouthful of noodles. "Just practicing the same moves as before."

"I don't see how I could ever go as fast as Master Monkey," Lucas said "but it's getting simpler."

I said. "Well we've been in these Kung Fu style lessons for over a week now. Things will be getting easier soon enough."

Lucas continued. "Crane style and Monkey style couldn't be more different.

"Master Crane is always saying Crane style is meant to look "effortless and balanced" and Master Monkey says Monkey style is supposed to look "unpredictable and energetic."

"So Master Crane isn't teaching yall how to fly." I said with joke disappointment.

"At this point, it would probably be easier." Lucas said effetely.

I looked down at my food. My soup had reduced to a dull simmer so I took a few slurps of the noodles.

After a second Lucas asked "What's Panda style been like? Have you managed to break the wood yet?"

"Not yet. I'm afraid I'll end up breaking my hand before I break the wood. Po says it'll take a while. Lately he's been giving me more quick thinking exercises to keep me on my toes. Sometimes he'll randomly lunge at me during the lesson just to see I can block him."

"What's it like being the only student?" Dew asked "I guess you don't have to fight for Po's attention."

I smiled remembering some of Po's antics. "Even though it's just me, Po sometimes starts off the lesson saying 'good afternoon _class_'."

Lucas and Dew both laughed.

"I suppose overall I'm doing well with Panda style, but I still want to improve my Leopard style."

"Come on Jo," Dew said skeptically. "You're one of the best in Leopard style. Even Master Shifu's commented on it."

"He's commented on Park too." I said dismally.

I wondered if any one else had noticed. Park was excelling in Leopard style, but some how he didn't seem better but……. Different. He seemed to know things that neither Shifu or Master Tigress taught. Stuff that looked like complex Kung fu.

"Don't let Park get you down. He just knows a bunch of advanced "flashy" moves. Kung Fu builds on itself. Without mastering the beginner's moves first he can't have a solid foundation. And we've got that over him."

_That made since, I guess. Kung Fu did build on itself. But I still wondered. Park didn't seem like the type to research Kung Fu like was. Where was he learning these advanced moves? _

***

I was relieved that night when I heard Po quietly sneak out our room when he thought I was asleep. They hadn't had one of their secret meetings in a while, I started to worry they weren't having dreams anymore.

Once I figured it was safe I carefully padded down the hall, but in the silent hallway my soft footsteps seemed to creek every floorboard in the whole bunkhouse.

When I got to the Shifu's room I found the door wasn't as open as it normally was. The crack in the door was less than an inch wide. I had to put my eye right up to the crack to see anything inside.

"-so I had told Crane about it last night." Master Tigress said to Master Shifu.

Shifu turned his head in the opposite direction of Tigress. "Well then, Master Crane, did Oogway visit you last night?" Master Crane was just out of view of the peek hole but I could catch his gestures as he started talking.

"Yes, but he didn't come to me in a dream." Crane said. "I woke up this morning and saw this." He held up a paper and placed it in the center of the table.

"What is it?" Master Shifu said eyeing it with interest.

"The list you gave me at the beginning of the year with the camper's rooming arrangements. When I woke up I saw this." He pointed at something midway down the list.

The rest of the Five and Po leaned in for a closer look as they each uttered sounds of amazement. Crane went on "It's some kind of strange burn mark around this room number."

_Which room?_

"Tigress said "I think he's selected this room because he senses the right camper in this room."

_Say which room already!_

I got my answer. Monkey concluded "So the camper that we're looking for is in Room 4."

I backed away from the door till I felt my back meet the wall. My feet gave out beneath me and I sank to the floor with my knees up to my chest and my arms hanging down lifelessly.

_No_

"This narrows it down to just three campers," Viper said thrilled.

"Two actually," Crane pointed to a name on the paper "this one never showed up the first day."

Shifu got off his cushion seat and stood. "As soon as we find the means of figuring out who the camper is we'll see both of these campers." Shifu looked at the names on the paper. "We'll have to arrange to meet with Lucas Everette Zhangji and Park Garfniec Ciepfoe."

***

Hope yall liked!

Thanks for reviewing. At least I hope you do


	18. Chapter 18: Breaking Point

_I was gonna have this as two different chapters but I thought they were both pretty short so I combined them. (That's why there's two titles)_

_***_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 18**

"**Breaking Point **

**(Offending Po)"**

I was going at nearly a punch a second on the wood during the lesson.

I could hear the wood splintering under each flex. _If this wood had weaknesses I would find it_

As if last night wasn't bad enough, today in Leopard style training Master Shifu was casually watching Park the whole time. He didn't even notice that I performed all my strikes perfectly on the practice dummy. _Repeatedly I might add _

Po started watching my progress when look of concern crossed his face. "Woh, take it down a notch." Po said cautiously. "You're gonna have bloody knuckles at this rate."

"I'm just trying to break this stupid wood." I said without barely looking at him.

Po stroked his chin a bit. "Maybe I'm going out on a limb, but you seem angry."

"Maybe." I said still punching. My tone made it sound more like "Of course I am"

"What's eating you up?"

"Nothing." I said flatly. There was no way I could tell him without giving away that I listened in on their secret meetings.  
I stopped punching. "I'm just tired of not improving my ability."

"Jo, you're doing fine in Panda style."

"I'm not doing good enough to be the best though."

"Who says you have to be the best?"

I was starting to find it hard to restrain myself. "Me! I want to be the best, and I'll to do anything to get to it!"

Po's uneasiness was growing at every sentence I said. But for some reason I didn't think anything of it.

"Jo, there was another kung fu student who said that exact statement once."

I sighed crossing my arms. I knew he was trying to make some point. "And?"

"When he didn't get what he wanted he rampaged across the Valley, killed several people, and ended up in Chor Gom prison."

The blood slammed a surge into my face and I was positive that my face was as red as a tomato. _Words never hit so hard._

I sighed. "............. Am I really like that?"

"No," Po said "but I don't want to see it happen to you too. Jo, Tai Lung had all the makings of a great kung fu warrior but want consumed him. You're not like him. You're just mistaken."

"Of course I'm mistaken. My whole life's a mistake!"

"Jo, there are no mistakes. Master Oogway even said that."

"But I'm never good enough!  
I just wish I knew why I'm so...................._**ME!**_"

_The only word that could ever describe it_

"Jo don't let anyone tell you, you're not good enough. I've only known you for a couple weeks and already I see you have a ton of potential, a heart of gold and have a LOT more going for you than people give you credit for. If someone doesn't like you for who you are, that's their problem."

"If it's their problem then why am I the one feeling so lousy?"

"It's the feeling of having to please others. Before I told my dad about my kung fu passion, I was always trying to be a people-pleaser with him. And after I told him I learned to not always let someone else's desires affect mine."

"Is it that simple?"

Po smiled "No, but nothing in Kung Fu is. Remember?"

I let my guard down as a smile pushed its way onto my face. "What does this have to do with Kung fu?"

"It's all about Kung fu mind-set." He held out his hand. "Come on. Ya know you wanna."

And we both did the handshake. "Slap it. Feel the thunda! Skadoosh!"

_*******_

That night at dinner me Dew and Lucas sat at our usual table. The only difference was Lucas invited his friend Livia to sit with us. We barely said anything to each other though. After we exchanged names we all went to slurping our noodle soup. The tought did cross my mind, _This is the girl who wanted to stand up for me when Park told me to jump off a cliff._ While I was eating I couldn't help but think about Lucas.

Worst case scenario, Park was the dreamt of warrior. Best case scenario it was Lucas.  
_No, best case scenario, Oogway made a mistake and I was the warrior. _

But there was no use trying to find some loophole. I knew that much was true.

As the campers finished they slowly carried their bowls to the counter and left for the cabanas. Some how it ended up, me and Lucas were the last ones.

As we carried our bowls across the now deserted outdoor kitchen we talked more about our progress in our styles when Lucas said "I hope tomorrow I do better in Crane style. It'd be nice to know ahead of time if I actually have a chance in this Kung Fu."

_I always forget other people have doubts like mine _

I was debating over whether or not to tell him about the dreams when Park came swaggering around the corner. "Well aren't you two getting cozy.  
"Lucas, I don't get why you even hang out with _streak-face_."

"We were _just_ talking, Park." Lucas said.

Park switched his gaze to me. "Shouldn't you be attending to the Dragon Warrior's every whim, or something. Seriously? Is he the guy you idolize?"

_yes_

"And what if he is?!" I shot back.

Now Park was in my face about it. "Please, That panda's nothing but a big fat piece of freaking cr-

_**BAM**_

Park was on the ground flat on his back moaning as a dark spot slowly faded into view over his right eye.

He was in pain,

_Good _

The sounds of his groaning seemed to ease the initial pain of my knuckles on my still balled up fist.

"Whats going on?" said some one. I turned and saw Shifu standing there stunned beyond belief.  
Po ran in and came to a screeching halt at the scene.  
"What happened?!"

In that instant, Po's and Shifu's faces changed everything. I saw Park on the ground in a completely new light. What Lucas was thinking, God only knows.

I stared at them both blankly at a loss of words.

"I don't know."

***

__

Yep, it's getting thick.

_Thanks for reading._

_Please review. _

_*****__**Deleted scene from this chapter**__*****_

_I really liked this line but it sorta broke the fourth wall_

Po was looking for the right word. "Jo, you're… you're like a diamond in the rough; A brilliant ball of clay. You could be a work of art, if… you just go all the way. You're a natural. I don't know why it's so hard to see. Maybe it's just because you keep on looking at me."

I folded my arms a little annoyed. "Po, you got that from the song _'Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting'_"

Po twiddled his fingers nervously before saying "Doesn't mean it's not true."

_I was watching Tropic Thunder when I wrote this_


	19. Chapter 19: Who You Choose to Be

_I don't know why but this chapter took a lot of thinking so I hope it's good_

_P.S.  
__Sorry about the review deletion __shektor_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 19**

"**Who You Choose to Be"**

I watched the morning rays filtered through the silk table cloth as I lay underneath the table.

Turning over I faced the bed curtain of table cloth that hung down from the table, blocking the sun. The matting didn't give much cushion, but it was better than the brick floor below it.

Last night I'd been roaming the Palace grounds when I came to the outdoor kitchen. Against the wall was a long rectangular table covered in a silk table cloth that fell to just an inches above the floor. When I lifted the cloth I saw underneath the table there was a large bundle of several other table cloths. So I sat under the table and layed a bunch of them flat on the ground making a thin mattress. I rolled up a few others like a bedroll for a pillow and kept an extra one as a blanket. I guess it was the luckiest find I had all night. How I fell asleep was beyond me.

I couldn't go back to my room last night. I didn't think I could ever face Po again. Having to re-see his face of disappointment. Knowing how much I had let him down.

Shifu's words to me were even worse.  
"Jo you have disgraced the art of Kung Fu as a use of hatred and aggression! I'm ashamed of your actions but even more that it appears you haven't learned a thing!"

Just like that, all the time I'd spent trying to impress Shifu, was now gone. It went without saying that if something like this happened again I would be out of camp.

I unconsciously stared up at the swirls of wood grain in the table. "God, what am I doing? Am I losing my mind? Am I really becoming..... bloodthirsty?"  
_First the poem, then the aggression during Po's lesson, and now this. Maybe I am turning into Tai Lung. _

Off in the distance, the Morning Gong sounded. I sat up. _I guess I have to face the world sooner or later._

During the early lessons of the day a bunch of the campers had been talking about me. I could tell because they all went quiet anytime I passed by. No doubt, they were trying to decide if the rumors were true. Others were watching their step around me wondering if I'd snap on them next. Either way I got some nasty looks from quite a few of the campers.

At lunch I sat with Lucas and Dew. They tried to make me feel better by saying stuff like "Don't sweat it, Park had it coming." And other stuff like that.  
It meant a lot that they still had my back through this but it didn't fix everything.

Shifu didn't even look at me in Leopard style. At least before, I knew it was because he was concentrating on Park. Now I knew it was because he couldn't even bare to see me.

On top of all this I still didn't know how I was going to face Po. Hopefully he would just tell me to work on my punches and I'd just do that for the rest of the lesson. Some how it hit me that Po's silence would be almost as bad as him saying something.

When I started making my same lone walk to Panda style, I was suddenly overcome with fear.  
_I can't face Po, not after what happened. I'll just skip the lesson today and stay at my makeshift bed in the kitchen till dinner._

I turned and started walking back the other direction when I heard "You know Panda styles the other way, right?"

I knew before he finished his sentence it was Po. So I stopped and turned. He approached me slowly on the pathway.

We stood there for a second not saying anything. I tried to read his face but I found it too hard to look at him. I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or just worried.

"I thought you might not show up." Po said matter-of-factly.

I knew the inevitable was coming so I blurted out "Po, I'm sorry about what happened, I just-

"Your friend Lucas told me about what went on." Po cut me off.

"He did?" I wasn't sure if this was good news yet.

Po nodded as he divulged more. "He told me that that Park guy has been giving you trouble before. Then told me what Park was saying about me."

I tried to look him in the eyes but found myself looking at the tiny pointed tuff of hair in between his ears.

"I can't really say I'm proud of you, but I know you only hit him because he insulted me and…… in a weird way…… I'm flattered."

What eye strength I had focusing on that hair evaporated as my gaze fell to Po's feet.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely shocked, yet somehow what he said seemed natural.

"But Po you were right. I'm turning into Tai Lung."

Po gave a heavy sigh that was traced with what sounded like guilt. "Jo, what I should have told you yesterday, that I'm sorry I didn't, was 'You're only who you choose to be.'"

"Did Master Oogway say that too?" I asked.

"Master Shifu actually."

_Why am I not surprised?_

"Is that why you came to find me? To tell me this?"

"That's one of the reasons. The second thing was… Well, honestly…" He paused weakly letting a genial smile come out. "I'd kinda like to have my roomie back."

My heart lost all likeness of a solid.

I threw my arms around Po as much as they could go and felt like if I tried hard enough I could lift him clear off the ground by pure determination.

Po wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me closer to him into his hug embrace. He slowly began patting my back. Each pat seemed to say "It's ok. You're safe"

I would have stayed like that forever.

Not loosening my grip the slightest bit, I looked up at him. His bright emerald eyes looked back down at me with his same glad-I-could-help smile.

*******

_Jo has been blessed with a great friend_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Let me know what you think!_


	20. Chapter 20: Trouble in the Valley

_I really worked hard on this chapter so I hope it shows._

_Thanks for the suggestions and help hidden stranger, you totally ROCK!_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 20**

"**Trouble in the Valley"**

Po looked at me curiously thinking up another one of his quick thinking scenarios.

"If your enemy has weak knees?" Po asked  
I quickly answered "Knock them down"

"If they have a lazy eye?"  
"Run really fast to confuse them"

"If they grab on to you from behind?"  
"Fall backwards on them."

"If they're wearing really baggy clothes?"  
"Pants them."

Po gave a shocked look. "Well I was gonna say make your movements quick so it'll be hard for them to fight back with all that weight, but I think you get the gist."

I smiled. Just a few minutes ago I was afraid of having to face Po again. Now it all seemed forgotten.

Just as Po was about to throw me another question, he heard something that made his small black ears twitch.  
I had heard it too.

It was the sound of the morning gong. But it wasn't the usual single ring. It was three quick hits.

I turned back to Po. "I thought they only rang that gong in the morning."

"They only ring it like that when there's a problem in the Village." The look of worry still present on his face. "We're gonna have to cut the lesson short today. Let's go ahead and seal the lesson."

"Slap it, feel the thunda, and Skadoosh!"

"Head back to the bunk house and stay there. The other Masters will have already told the campers to go to their cabanas. Me Master Shifu and the Five have to head down to the Village to see what the problem is. We shouldn't be too long but you never know how long these things will take."

With that he took off down the path toward the arena gate. I started my own way toward the bunkhouse.

I wondered what was going on in the Village. Was there some killer on a spree? I wish I could be down there to witness Shifu, the Five and Po in action-

_Wait, couldn't I? _

All the other campers were in the cabanas. Master Shifu, Po and the Furious Five were all in the Village. No one who was normally in the bunkhouse would be there during the mission. As far as anyone would know I would be in the our room.  
It was an acceptable risk.

I backtracked to our training spot then from there to the arena gate, looking around every corner as I went. When I got to the arena they were already gone. I ran to the gate and spotted them halfway down the flight of stairs. I waited till they were at the bottom and quickly making their way into the village till I started running down after them.

Once I was down in the village I followed what I thought was there path. Then I made turn on one of the familiar streets. I had only a hunch but I decided to see if I was right.

I was.

Outside Mr. Pings Noodle Shop a large crowd had formed around what apparently had caused the alarm. A large lynx and a gorilla, daggers drawn were attempting to rob the shop. All the customers had been scared out of the enclosure. Among them was Mr. Ping.

Not a minute later Master Shifu and the rest of them rounded the corner.

Without even a hesitation or an order Monkey leapt out and kicked the Lynx in the stomach. That threw him back a few feet but otherwise did nothing.

Now the Fight is on.

Seeing his partner attacked, the knife wielding Gorilla viciously ran up behind Monkey. Crane flew straight to the sky then dived at the ape snatching the dagger out of his hand in a flash.

Now that he was disarmed, Mantis and Po went for him.

Tigress joined Monkey and Crane on the lynx and successfully kicked the knife from his grasp. Striking with empty hands the lynx tried to take out Crane but Crane obviously to good at blocking and dodging.

Po, I saw, had bounced the Gorrilla off his large gut and disorienting the ape. Then Po threw a massive punch to the gorilla knocking him back into Manti's's hold, who, in one quick move remarkably lifted him over his head and slammed him onto the hard ground.

When I looked back at the others I saw Viper shoot out and coiled around the giant feline's legs and he began to stumble. Like a tree he fell over unconscious.

With the the two villains lying unconcious in the streets, just as quickly as it had started, the fight was over and won.

Having just witnessed the defeat of two criminals, the surrounding crowd began to applaud the heroes and I joined in. The 7 of them stood there taking in the clapping facing the crowd.

Master Tigress stood there proudly looking through out the crowd when she turned her head in my direction. For a split second we made eye contact and her eyes seemed to stop. At that moment I remembered how much trouble I would be in if I was outside the camp with out the Masters there.

Somewhere during the second half of that split second I ducked out of sight in the crowd. Once I squeezed out of the swarm of onlookers I ran down the street taking every back alley and inconspicuous route I could till I got to the enormous flight of stairs. Then I sprinted up the steps as fast as I could, a sharp stitch jabbing me in the side, until I got to the arena gate. I looked back down. None of members appeared to be any where on the stairs, but I couldn't make out anything in the village from the top. I still had to make it to our room.

Once I made it to the bunkhouse I ran down the hallway for once not worrying about the creaking ran into our room and slid the door closed.

_Good, I was safe. At least, I think I am._

The pain from the stitch was slowly subsiding. I was still panting pretty hard as I lied down on my cot. I just needed to rest a little bit and catch my breath.

_She couldn't have gotten that good of a look at me. This was too big of a risk with the incident just happening yesterday._

I just waited lying on the cot. It didn't hit me until now that they probably would end up being held up down there figuring out what went on with the fight and restoring the peace.

About 20 minutes later the door to my room was slid open. Standing in the doorway was each member of the Furious Five, Po and Master Shifu.

I tried to look surprised, _Which truthfully I was_.  
"Master Shifu? What's going on?"

But it was Tigress who spoke. "I saw you in the crowd."

I almost stupidly said 'That wasn't me.' But I caught myself. "What crowd?" I asked.

"The crowd that was watching the fight at the Noodle Shop." She said.

I mustered up a confused look. "The Noodle Shop down in the Village? It must have been someone who looked like me."

Tigress made an aggressive stomp into the room as she snapped at me "You're the only badger in the village!"

"Tigress." Shifu shot her a stern look. I was relieved for a second until he turned the same look toward me.

"Jo," Shifu said. "Is it in someway possible that Master Tigress is right and that you left Palace Grounds with out permission." It was hard to tell but it sounded like his voice was bordering on sarcasm.

"No, Master Shifu."

"I know what I saw." Tigress said defensively.

"Tigress you might have been confused." said Viper calmingly. "You were still in a daze from the battle. We all were."

Tigress rolled her eyes and gave a deep exhale.

Shifu continued. "So you mean to tell me you've been in this room the whole time we were gone?"

I nodded. "Right after Po heard the gong I started off to the bunkhouse." _Ultimately this was true._ But I was uneasy with where he was going with this.

"Well in that case," Shifu said seemingly turning happily calm, "if you were here, then maybe you would be able to tell me _**WHAT**_ happened to my room!?"

"Your room?" I asked startled.

"Completely ransacked!" Shifu said. "Ravaged!"

"In English, his room was trashed." said Mantis jokingly before he got one of Shifu's looks as well.

"I walked in, the sheets were pulled off the bed, chairs and tables were overturned and papers were scattered around like there'd been a hurricane!"

"I was asleep." I said quickly.

"Asleep?" Shifu raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"Yeah, Training wore me out today. Not to mention I didn't exactly sleep that well last night."

My last comment seemed to reassure Shifu, or at least slow him down a bit.

"So nothing awoke you while you were sleeping?"

"No, I can be a heavy sleeper sometimes."

"It's true," Po said plainly.

Shifu sighed. "Since there's no one to confirm your story, I'll believe you, but remember…" He walked up to me till his glaring eyes were nearly a foot away from mine and said in a harsh whisper that I didn't think the other Masters heard. "You are already on thin ice. Don't stomp on it. Are we clear?"

I nodded almost helplessly.

He seemed to make a tiny nod to show he understood then turned back to the rest.

"Po you may head to the kitchen and start the dinner. The rest of you go round up the campers. Supper will be a bit late today but I imagine they'll like it just the same."

As they all dispersed Po made a gesture to me to follow him. Figuring I'd be heading to dinner too I followed.

"So" I said casually. "Trouble in the Valley?"

"Someone tried to rob my dad's shop."

"Really? Is he all right."

"Yeah, I think so. I asked him about what happened. I'll tell you what went on later tonight."

I smiled to myself. _I already know more than you think._

***

_Thanks for reading.  
Once again, thank you hidden stranger._

_Review_


	21. Chapter 21: Going to the Wall

_More information is revealed and answers are given_

_But more questions are asked too_

_R&R_

*** * ***

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 21**

"**Going to the Wall****"**

Master Shifu kneeled in front the moon pool repeating to himself "Inner peace, Inner peace, Oogway speak to me."

The petals lazily glided across the water without direction.

He'd been at it for nearly 15 minutes now, but he knew better than to give up now. Patience was one of the foundations of Kung Fu, Something he usually didn't have enough of.

Suddenly in the dark voids of his mind it happened.

Visions  
Or flashes

The staff  
The Chalkboard, no  
The Wall  
The wall ablaze with "Name" & "Destiny"  
Then Oogway speaking  
Oogway's staff again

That was the answer. They were all the answer.

A pleased smiled formed across Shifu's lips that any casual passerby would have easily confused for the formulation of an evil scheme.

"Thank you Master"

* * *

Dew and Lucas could tell my mood was significantly changed from this morning but surprisingly didn't say anything. Though I casually told Lucas "Thanks for talking to Po."

That secret ingredient soup Po had told me about was the _soup_ _de jour_ on today's roster.

I heard some weird theories circling around the campers about why the Masters went to the Village. Hardly any of them came close to the truth. Most of them involved "an escaped psychopath," "angry mobs," and other stuff that didn't make since.

The event with Shifu's room also crossed my mind. Had someone really snuck into the bunkhouse while no one was there? What if I hadn't gone down to the Valley. _I guess it was a good thing I wasn't there. _What if it was one of the campers? Now that I thought about it, none of the campers had even seen the bunkhouse. It was quite a distance away from the cabanas or anything else the campers went to regularly. The only camper who's ever been inside was me.

More importantly, what were they looking for? I knew it was stupid to think someone just trashed his room for no reason. But what did Shifu have that was so important?

After dinner that night, me and Po headed back to our room. On the walk there I couldn't help but take notice of the sounds of night. It was hypnotic in a weird way. These sounds usually go unnoticed as background noises.

I felt that strange urge I get sometimes to write down an idea before I forget it. Once we were in our room, without even worrying about onlookers, I grabbed a paper out of my folder and started writing.

_**Summer Night**_

_When the light breeze will blow_

_With the solitude of night_

_Hardly anything that's bright_

_But the steady light_

_Of the lantern's glow_

_The night bird's feathers flutter_

_And the frogs croaking mutter_

_While these murmurs, clicks, and pounds_

_And all the other nocturnal sounds_

_Only gives more height_

_To the symphony that is the lullaby of night_

_Then I hear the crickets_

_Singing in the thicket_

_At the slightest jerk or bumping_

_They all will start a-jumping_

_As I think looking at the sky_

_With the stars twinkling down to earth_

_I say with a happy sigh_

"_Only God could give me such mirth"_

_This great sight has been_

_Such a splendid show_

_While all of this is seen_

_In the lantern's glow_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan**_

Po who had been silently lying in bed twiddling one of his throwing stars spoke. "Whatcha writing? A journal entry?

Without even remembering it was a secret I said "It's a poem."  
Then I realized what I said.

Po nodded and said "That's cool, I was wondering when you were gonna write another one."

I looked at him. "Another one? Howd you know I wrote poems?"

Po smiled. "You had left the last one open on your cot; _In the Comfort of Friends__._"

"Oh… Well…" _I didn't know what to think._ "What did ya think?"

"I think you're not that bad of a writer, and the poem was very touching."

My ears turned puce. "Thanks. I'm really glad you liked it."

"I gotta know though, who was this friend?" He asked humorously.

"Do you really not know?" I asked smiling.

Po chuckled. "Nah, I guess I do. But thanks. I really liked it."

"I'm glad."

I started to lie back down again when suddenly Po sat up in his bed and faced me. "I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you about the fight."

I sat up too. "Yeah what happened down there?" Even though I knew, it would still be cool to hear from what Po saw.

Po went over the scene at his father's restaurant and the battle that had begun, although he added a few more "round house kicks" and "paws of fury" than I remembered seeing.

When he was done describing the fight I said. "Wow, do yall have to break up these sorta things often?"

"Actually no. Robberies aren't exactly common in the Valley. I don't know what possessed those thugs to do it. As we were taking them away they kept saying that we'd better 'be careful' because they had 'back-up coming,' but they must have been bluffing since it's not like anyone showed up.

"We questioned the two pigs who man the alarm bell. They said someone came to them saying there was a robbery at the noodle shop."

"Was any part of his shop damaged?" I asked.

"A few broken bowls but that was about the extent of it. The strange thing is, I asked my dad and he said the robbers didn't show up till **after** the gong rang."

For a second I didn't understand the importance of this. A second later my eyes got huge. "You mean-

"Some one new the fight was going to happen." Po finished for me.

"What about the person who told the pigs?" I asked.

"Asked them. They didn't recognize them. They said whoever it was was wearing a dark cloak and kept their hood down."

It was a weird thought to think about. "Creepy. Any ideas?"

"Beats me." He said shrugging

He looked down at the star in his hand before tossing it to me. "Jo, I wanted to ask you about Park."

"What about him?" I said trying to sound nonchalant. If Park was involved it wasn't exactly a comfortable conversation.

"What happened last night with him?"

I sighed hating to relive the moment. "Me and Lucas were just talking while we were putting up our bowls. Then Park tromps over and starts saying how Lucas and I shouldn't hang out.

And then he said…… that stuff about you. So I punched him."

Po nodded understandingly.

"Jo how come you never brought Park up to me before? Lucas said he's been giving you problems since the first day of camp."

I fumbled with the throwing star for a second before dropping it with a_plunk_ onto my poem on my leather folder.

"I don't know. I guess I thought it wouldn't matter."

"We've swapped secrets before. You know what ever you tell me you can trust me to keep right."

"Of course, Po." I didn't want Po to think our friendship meant nothing just because I didn't tell him one thing.

_Po, I snuck out of camp to watch yall fight today  
_It was easy to think but could I say it?

At that moment a long-eared silhouette was casted on the paper door from the hallway.

_Speak of the Devil_

The door opened and Park walked in. The black eye had already began to heal and was only slightly visible.

He looked at Po and held up a scroll in his hand. "I was asked to deliver this message to you by Master Shifu."

Po gingerly reached out then awkwardly said "Oh, um, Thank you for delivering it."

Park just nodded almost grudgingly. As he turned and began to walk out he eyed me with a look of suspicion. It was a glare of revenge. The black eye seemed altered and crazed.

Once the door closed Po opened the scroll and read it. His eyes showed some amazement then quickly hid it from my view.

"Looks like I have to go meet Master Shifu. In case you're asleep before I get back, G'night"

"G'night, Po."

Po walked out and closed the door behind him.

The scroll lay open there on the night stand.

_Why does my curiosity always have to win me over?_

I picked up the scroll. There was a short note scrawled in Master Shifu's handwriting.

_***  
__Po_

_I went to the Moon Pool tonight trying to figure out the dreams when Oogway seemed to speak to me. Meet me at the Hall of Warriors. I think I may have cracked the solution to solving which camper is the chosen one. _

_Master Shifu_

***

Tonight. He's figuring it out tonight. I looked over at the door, still closed from when Po left.

_What is the point of me going? I already knew it had to be someone in room four. But the paper could have been wrong, right? After all, my name wasn't on the list to begin with. _

I forced my unwilling body out the door of the bunkhouse. I had to leave quickly if I didn't want to miss anything Shifu said.

_This has gotta be stomping on the ice_

The large mahogany doors to the Hall of Warriors were open when I arrived. I stepped inside. Shifu and Po were standing near the slate wall near Master Oogway's staff. While there backs were turned I crept in and hid behind Master Flying Rhino's Armor to overhear their tryst.

"So what have you figured out?" Po asked Master Shifu.

He replied "As I said Master Oogway spoke to me. I believe he actually showed me the method to find the camper."

Po's looked overly thrilled. "That's great! What is it?"

Master Shifu picked up a piece of Oogway's staff off the whatnot. "The camper must hold a piece of the staff in his hand and say before the wall 'Oogway, show me the destiny of me' then they say their name and what there destined to be will be revealed on the wall, what I believe was our 'chalkboard.' "

Po looked at the wall with an enlightened smiled. "The dreams are starting to make since now."

"And tomorrow we'll gather Mr. Zhangji and Ciepfoe, have them both try this and we will know which camper Oogway has chosen.

"Come. I'm about to make my walks to make sure no ones out of their rooms. Tomorrow will be an important day in Kung Fu history."

I waited a few seconds after they left before I moved. As I approached the staff, the empty hall echoed each small footstep, further adding intensity to my mind.

Once I was in front of the staff I hesitated for a second. Like I was afraid touching it would set off a trap. I cautiously picked up the staff end without the crook. It was only about 10 inches long. _No spears shooting out of the walls, no boulder about to crush me. I guess it was safe._ I stared up at the glistening astrove wall.

This is it.  
This is what listening to all those dreams at night had led up to.

I took in a deep breath of air and looked up at the wall.

"Oogway show me the Destiny of me. Jo Dakota Crevan."

I held my breath in anticipation. Then as if written with an invisible piece of chalk, my name miraculously appeared on the slate wall.

**JO DAKOTA CREVAN**

The name seemed to glow brighter, but it started to dim. Then it faded  
_or died  
_away.

_Gone?_

So that was it.  
Nothing.  
It's not me.  
_It's not me.  
_"It's not me."

I felt like someone stuck a knife in me, gutted me alive and filled me up with…………… Nothing.  
I felt nothing.  
I was empty.

"How long have you known?" asked someone from behind.

Somehow I wasn't surprised. I defeatedly turned to face Po. "Since the night Master Shifu told you about his dream."

"I was wondering if this is why you were training so hard."

"It was definitely a motivator." I said sullenly. "But it looks like it didn't help"

"I'm sorry this happened, Jo." I knew he meant it. His face was genuinely sad. "Destiny isn't always something you can control."

"I just thought there might be something about me. Something..... worth while."

"There is!" Po walked closer. "Jo, just because you aren't going to be legendary doesn't mean you won't do great things."

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"I hope you're not too discouraged by this."

I was feeling miserable beyond words but I knew Po was trying to be empathetic, so I gave one of those "whatever" smiles. "Don't worry, Po. I'm not going to go lead a massacre across the Valley of Peace."

"Well I'm glad for that. Come on," he held out his hand for the shake. I perfunctorily did the hand shake and we said "Slap it. Feel the thunda! Skadoosh"

Po opened up his arms. I gratefully took him up on the offer and hugged him back.

After a few of his back pats Po released and said "Just so Master Shifu doesn't notice, let's go out the back way." Po led me to the back of the Hall near 1000 scrolls through a portiere.

I was instantly taken over by the smell of the warm night air.

The door had lead to a large grassy field behind the Hall. But rather than going out into the field we turned right and walked along the back wall of the building. This led us through the alleys behind the other buildings on the Palace grounds bringing us close to the edge of the cliff.

This particular edge was a little creepy. It was one of those kinds that dropped nearly ten stories with the bottom clustered with several cragged rocks that stuck up like stalagmites.

Even though the back walls were occasionally lit by hanging paper lanterns but it still seemed darker than natural.

Po stopped walking. "Hang on a second."

I stopped too. "What?"

Po looked somewhere in the distance down the path. "Park is still walking around. Hang back a sec while I take care of it." The last statement was more of a question than a statement. But I nodded. I didn't exactly feel like seeing anyone. Even though Park couldn't see me from a distance, I stood behind a trash can that was up against the building.

Po made a waving gesture to Park. "Park, Hey, how come you're not back at the cabanas yet?"

"I thought I'd take my time getting there." said Park sarcastically innocent.

Po was trying to sound composed. He probably felt it was his duty as one of the Masters. "Look Park, I know you may not like me, but the camp does have rules. Why don't you head back to your room with your friends."

Park laughed. "Why would I want to go back to them? I've made new and better friends." He gave this smile that said he was hiding something. Something that wasn't gonna stay hidden for long.

Then it was revealed.

Behind Park there was a _**POUNCE**_ that vibrated the June night air. But Park remained unfazed still giving off his smug smile as the pouncing creature behind him slowly rose from his crouch position to a towering stance.

The night air grew cold.

There stood the tall, brazen snow leopard carrying a look of greatest satisfaction.

When I finally found my breath I gasped.

The air in my throat had turned to ice.

"Tai Lung?"

*** * ***

_Don't make me beg_

_Review_


	22. Chapter 22: The Point of His Return

made up word:

**mansuete**- _lessen_ _in volume from increasing in distance_

_R&R_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 22**

"**The Point of His Return"**

I ducked lower behind the trash can staring at what I'd only heard about in terrified stories and my own nightmares.

He wore purple pants _like the ones I had_ but the belt was made of studded brown leather.

His eyes gleamed bright and maliciously. His black whiskers were long and wiry but they weren't that noticeable.

His feet were firmly planted and gave him a look of a strong foundation.

His arms were bulging with muscles slightly shrouded beneath the silvery gray fur. His fur had circular spots as black as charcoal with paler centers. His black-tipped tail swayed casually from side to side behind him like the sweep of a shark's crescent tail.

What light there was around us seemed to be magnetically pulled toward him, like a spotlight.

The light gave him an ethereal look about him.

He made a step forward nudging Park aside. "Thank you, student. I have unfinished business with this Panda."

His voice was different than what I had expected. I always imagined a gruff low voice. The kind you'd only expect hearing from the bowels of hell.

But his voice was suave, almost tempting, with a surprising vibe of sangfroid.

"I see not much has changed at this palace since our battle. How long ago was it? A month? almost two months now? How time does fly."

If Po was as utterly shocked at the sight of Tai Lung alive as I was, he sure didn't show it. He held his ground head strongly.

"The jobs always unfinished when it's with you, isn't it, Tai?"

"How do you mean, Po?" He asked as if they were making friendly conversation.

"How are you here? How did you survive the Wuxi finger Hold? The thing that should have killed you"

"I'm well aware of what it is." Tai Lung said suddenly turning sinister. "Master Shifu may have never trusted me enough to teach me the hold, but he did teach me the counterattack."

Po raised an eye brow. "Counterattack?"

He leered. "You didn't think Master Shifu would let his favorite student go unprotected if the Wuxi Finger Hold was ever used on him, did you?

"Master Wuxi was a master of mantis kung fu, developing some of the most stunning moves in Kung Fu. He knew how to make the slightest move _**titanic**_. While the Wuxi Finger Hold is as simple as flexing a pinky, the counterattack is as simple as clenching your other hand into a fist." He balled up his fist demonstrating. I could hear his knuckles cracking.

He went on. "Using the counterattack, your hold merely blew me across the Valley. True, the counter-attack doesn't stop the whole impact, but it was enough for me to survive. Once I had my energy back I started training again.

"Since then, I've got word of your search for the student who will become the legendary kung fu warrior, but I'm afraid I've beaten you there as well." He gestured to Park. "And now we'll take over the Valley, as a pair that no one would dare come up against."

Po glared back at Tai Lung. I could tell he was "visualizing the cookie." "What makes you think doing that will be so easy?"

Tai gave a wolfish smile "Because I'm getting rid of the only thing that held me back last time."

Tai Lung ran straight at him, while Po bent a knee and put one leg behind him bracing himself for impact, his hands out in front of him.

As Tai Lung collided with him it pushed Po across the dirt ground a few feet but otherwise he kept his brace position. Their hands met each other's and were pressing palm against palm.

Each of them had their weight against the other. Both of their arms were locked in place each trying to push the other back. It might not have seemed like much of a fight except Po at the time was no more than 5 feet away from the edge of the cliff.

"You see Panda, you don't know your place. You never should have come back last time. You just got lucky then. And now I'm going to make sure you won't ever be a problem again.

Tai Lung turned his head. "Park!"

As if on cue Park ran at them and jumped butting Tai Lungs back with his shoulder giving Tai Lung an extra thrust that pushed Po stumbling backwards the remaining feet

And he was over the edge. Po shouted out quickly mansueting before the sound was abruptly ended by a whopping monstrous thud followed by the unmistakable smash of rocks.

Everything else after that I seemed to be watching without looking away from the edge.

Tai Lung smiled even happier.

He turned to Park as if nothing had happened. He said something to him I couldn't hear. They were just words. Words that meant nothing. Everything meant nothing now

Park nodded and ran off in the direction of the cabanas.

_I could do it now, run up and push him off just like he did. I'd never have a more advantageous moment._

But my body was glued to my hiding position behind the trash can and what ounce of energy I thought had was now gone.

Quite out of the blue, Zeng the palace goose, strolled around the corner humming and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Tai Lung.

Tai Lung eyed him with another idea. He lunged forward grabbing Zeng around the neck with one hand.

Zeng feebly tried to gulp but he gasped resulting in a honk

"You always seem to be the messenger of my information, don't you? I thought you'd like to know, your wonderful Dragon Warrior is dead. This time tell them I've come back, this time, **for good.**

He dropped Zeng has he spastically tried to gather himself. Zeng backed away nearly tripping over his webbed feet then ran down the alley way toward camp.

Tai Lung walked off in the other direction with his stride that I felt could have knocked trees down.

_Silence_

I was left alone standing in the alleyway, hidden by the wall of darkness, still staring at the cliff edge where Po was-

_He couldn't be.... No he wasn't... I mean.... He was the Dragon Warrior._

I ran to the ledge and looked down over the cliff edge but all I could see was the dense misty fog.

"Po"

* * *

_The Real trouble's starting now_

_Your review here_

_x. ._

_Please_


	23. Chapter 23: The Evacuation

_R&R_

_***_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 23**

**"The Evacuation"**

I had a sudden flashback to the first night of camp

On the ground in the dirt  
At the outskirts of the Palace  
Feeling of complete loss

The only differences were this time the Peach Tree wasn't in sight.  
_No hope in sight  
And the droplets in the dirt had formed much quicker this time._

Tai Lung had killed Po, with only God and the darkness as witnesses. _And Me,  
GOD why did I have to see that?_

What happens now?

I looked around half expecting an answer.

Zeng was going to Master Shifu. I needed to get back to my room.  
Did it matter if I wasn't in my room?

_Did anything matter?_

How long had it been since Master Shifu said he was making his rounds of the cabanas.  
_10 minutes ago? It had to have been longer than that.  
10 minutes ago, I thought life couldn't get any worse because I wasn't the chosen one._

15 minutes ago me and Po were both comfortable in our room and I was writing a poem.  
Those minutes mad a world of difference.

Somehow I got up and walked back to the bunkhouse.

I closed the door to _what used to be_ our room leaving a small crack in it. I blew out the candle that was still burning from when we left.  
I sat down on my cot in the darkness. As I laid down I held the pillow tight against my chest.

I just waited staring at the poster-covered wall in the darkness. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen. I searched for an answer in my mind, but it seemed as dark and empty as the room.

A few seconds later, I heard Shifu's feet scampering frantically out in the hallway. "Students Assemble!"

Their doors opened slower than normal. Out of habit (I'm guessing) a few of them said "Good morning Master," before realizing it was still night.

"Where's Po?" said Tigress noticing his door hadn't opened.

Without answering her question Shifu said. "I have horrifying information. Zeng has just told me Tai Lung is alive. He has come back."

Each member of the five burst out saying "what! How?!"

Shifu began to stutter. "I don't know. I.. I … I don't know." Nervousness had taken over him so much just forming thoughts was proving a challenge. "But there is more. Tai Lung has killed Po.  
It seems he's finally gotten his revenge."

The Five were speechless. No one said anything.  
Silence was never so loud.

"I know this is hard. Po was great warrior and a dear friend to each of us. But we have to be strong right now."

Tigress, who was closest to Shifu, gingerly put a hand on his shoulder. "Master, what must we do?"

"What **can** we do?" I was almost startled at how panicked and desperate his voice sounded. "You all weren't able to defeat him last time and neither was I. The only ones who have ever stopped Tai Lung before were Master Oogway, and the Dragon Warrior. Neither of them are with us now."

"But there has to be something." Crane said. "Tai Lung will destroy the whole Valley."

Shifu spoke. "There is nothing we can do to save the Valley from him now. But we will not give him the satisfaction of hurting innocent people. We will lead another evacuation. But I'm afraid this time might be the end for the Valley.

Gather the campers. It'll take a little bit of time to get them back to their parents, but we must hurry.

Crane, will you deliver the word to Mr. Ping?"

Crane bowed. "Of course Master" he said meekly.

"I'll go tell Zeng to order the evacuation." Shifu started walking away before adding as an afterthought "Will…… someone wake Jo?"

"Should we tell him?" Asked Mantis a little uncomfortable.

"He'll know soon enough." Shifu replied sullenly.

The door to the room opened more. Mantis and Viper came inside.

Mantis made a leap onto my cot and lightly pecked me on the shoulder. "Hey, Jo. Wake up."

I stirred for a second before sitting up.

"Jo, you need to quickly gather your things." Viper said tenderly. "The Valley is being evacuated. It's nothing to worry about but we must be quick."  
Although she hid it, there was an air of unease in her voice.

I smiled to myself.  
_Good ole Viper trying to calm people down. Just like how she tried to calm Tigress down when she accused me._

I got out of bed. I folded up my leather folder with my poems and stuck it in my backpack.

I followed the two of them out the bunkhouse. Tigress and Monkey had already gone to the cabanas to get the other campers.  
When we had gotten to the cabanas the campers were all packed standing in a sleepy huddle.  
Among them stood Tigress who had apparently calmed down from our row a few hours earlier.

Once we were together the masters lead us to the arena entrance and down a flight of steps into the Village.

I thought about telling Shifu what I saw, but before I even finished the thought I knew it was useless. He would just think I was blaming Park out of hatred. Then he would ask me how I saw it happen.

Once we were at the bottom of the steps Lucas emerged from the crowd. "What do you think it's all about?"

"Don't know." I said simply.

_Lucas, He never knew he came so close to being a legendary Kung Fu master._

"It's gotta be something big. None of the Masters are saying anything. Even Park says he doesn't know."

A thought crossed my mind. "Where is he now?"

Lucas looked a little confused at my question. "Well he was with me when we left our room, but I don't see him anymore. We must have already passed his house."

I looked around the Village. Word of Tai Lung's return had spread quickly. Despite not telling the campers directly Zeng and Shifu had apparently informed all the citizens.

Then we turned the corner onto a different street

_"God almighty"_

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The entire Valley it seemed was falling apart.

People were frenetically dashing in and out of their houses with belongings and piling them into carts as fast as they could. Somehow some people had already nailed boards across their doors and windows. Why? I have no idea.

If not for the lack of flames and panicked screams you would have thought the entire village was on fire.

Tai Lung had caused all of this, him and Park. The fear was alive in the citizens. These people hadn't even seen him return.  
They hadn't spent those white knuckled, cold sweat moments in the darkness watching their hero be pushed over the edge of a cliff.

As we crossed the street I saw Mr. Ping leaving the noodle shop. He was trying to put a large box onto a cart overflowing with other boxes of food ingredients but couldn't seem to lift it high enough.

I separated from the group, walked up to the cart and said "Let me give you a hand."

We pushed together until the box was resting on top.

"Thank you young man." He said in a slightly high-pitched voice.

"No problem." I said.

As he started to turn, his eyes caught sight of my red belt. He gave an interested look. "By any chance is your name Jo."

"Yes, why?"

"My son was teaching at the Kung Fu camp at the Jade Palace. A few weeks ago he stopped by the shop to show me a red sash belt he got for one of his students. He said the student was a badger and that his name was Jo."

I nodded with a slight reassuring smile. "Yes sir, that was me."

"I had a hunch, there aren't many badgers in the Valley of Peace. My son had a lot of good things to say about you."

"He did?"

"Oh, Yes, he says- said you were predestined for greatness." He turned his attention back to the cart as if to hide is face.

_This must be hardest for him most of all._ "I'm sorry for your loss, Sir."

"Thank you," He said it without turning back around, but I could tell he meant it. "That means a lot." Then he grunted putting his weight into the cart and started pushing it down the street.

Off in the distance I heard some one say "Jo."

I turned. Down the street my foster parents were outside in front of their shop. Next to them was a large carriage.  
It looked like one of those gypsy caravans only smaller.

I ran up to them remembering that they hadn't seen me in nearly a month.  
"We missed you." My dad said.

My mom said "We can talk about camp soon but the valley's being evacuated…

_Like I hadn't noticed_

…We have a carriage with the neighbors."

"Run upstairs and pack as much as you can. We have to leave immediately." My dad said.

True, it wasn't exactly "Welcome Home" I would have liked but it was an understandably bad time.

I ran through the empty house and up the stairs. I threw as many clothes and other possessions as I could get into a separate knapsack.

_Fast, everything was fast_

I took my poster down, carefully rolled it up and stuck it under my arm. I paused for a moment looking around the bare room…

_Am I really leaving all this?_

…and went back outside.

I stepped up the small step ladder inside the caravan carriage. I pushed aside the curtain that covered the back entrance. It was dark inside, lit only by a single lantern hanging from the carriages ceiling. There were a few pillows on the floor. _Maybe I'll finally get some sleep._ It was probably 3 o'clock in the morning by now.

Three large boxes each marked "Stones" were up against the back wall of the caravan. My parents climbed in after me and a few minutes later the carriage was moving along the route with the rest of the Valley.

I knew we were headed for the "Thread of Hope," the long bridge that connected The Valley of Peace with (what seemed like) the rest of the world.

I sat on the back edge of the caravan watching the evacuees; most of them were walking, but there were others with carriages. I mindlessly looked for Dew, Lucas or someone else I knew.

_What am I doing?_

_Once we all made it across the Thread of Hope, even if everyone found homes in other villages, nothing would be the same. People would go their separate ways. Dew, Lucas and Livia would be gone. There was no reason for Shifu or any of the Masters to ever want to see me again. Po was gone._

"Po."_ I don't even know how old he was. 18? 25? Why does it even matter? He was gone._

_The person I had strived so hard to be like. The only person who made me feel safe. The only person who told me I was living for something, that I was different for a reason. The closest thing I had to a friend... NO, he was my friend. And he was gone._

_Camp was done._

_What did this lead to? Living with my foster parents. Going back to punching the pillows in my room. Talking to my poster of Po. Writing more poems in secret. What could this new life possibly hold?_

I starred up at the dark black _unforgiving_ sky

"God, I pray something good will happen. Please don't let this be it."

My silent prayer carried over the carriage that clattered along dirt road along with the rest of the evacuees as we traveled further from the Valley, that trembled on the edge of extinction.

I didn't think it then, but He had heard.

the end

* * *

_And there you have it folks  
Where will Jo's life take him?_

_We may never know_

_Hope yall like my story  
Let me know what your final thoughts are!_


	24. Chapter 24: A Name for Myself

_In the words of Po "I lied."  
It wasn't really the last chapter  
_

_Did you really think I would have it end like that?  
__Come on people! I'm not __that__ bad of a writer_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 24**

**"What's In My Name?"**

_**On My Master's Wings**_

_I have often dreamed  
Of a far off place  
Where a hero's welcome  
Would be waiting for me  
Where the crowds will cheer  
When they see my face  
And his voice keeps saying  
This is where I'm meant to be  
If you were with me now  
I'd find myself in you  
If you were with me now  
You're the only one who knew  
All the things we planned to do  
_

_I want to live my life  
The way you said I would  
With courage as my light  
Fighting for what's right  
Like you helped me believe I could  
I'll be there someday  
I can go the distance  
I will find my way  
If I can be strong  
I know every mile  
Will be worth my while  
When I go the distance  
I'll be right where I belong  
_

_And I will fly like my Master Po  
To places I would never go  
There was so much I did not know  
And I can feel  
His heartbeat still  
And I will do great things  
On my master's wings  
_

_Someday with his spirit to guide me  
And his memory beside me  
I will be free  
To fly like my Master Po  
To places I would never go  
There was so much I did not know  
And I can feel  
His heartbeat still  
And I will do great things  
On my master's wings_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan**_

The words just seemed to flow on to the paper naturally. I didn't even have to think.

We still had not made it very far at all. The evacuation had caused quite a bit of traffic along the dirt road. We probably wouldn't make it to the Thread of Hope till well into daylight hours. It was still dark I guessed maybe 4 in the morning. But I couldn't sleep. I wondered if I would ever sleep again. Even if I wanted to the weather wouldn't allow it. The lighting seemed strike all around us but it didn't rain a single drop.

I opened up my folder to put the poem in and something shiny fell out. It was the throwing star Po had tossed to me back in our room. In my hurry to leave I had packed it in my folder.

At least I have something to remember him by.

"Jo?" My mom said from behind.

I stuck the star in my pocket.

I hadn't seen my foster parents in almost a month and I hadn't spoken more than 10 sentences to them since I got back. At the same time I started to feel anger toward them. They seemed to be pretending nothing bad was happening. That the entire Village being uprooted was fine.  
"Yeah?"

"We know camp ended a little earlier than you expected," She said, "but it's not the end of the world."

_Not the end of the world!? From a single glance at our surroundings it looked like the end of the Valley's world! It was the end of Po's world!_

"That's not why I'm upset." I said flatly. I probably shouldn't have worded it like that. It only confirmed that there was a reason I was upset, which guaranteed they would ask questions.

"Then what's wrong?"

It was hard to talk about, but it came too easy at the same time. "Po's dead." I mumbled.

"Who's that?" My dad said.

"The Dragon Warrior!" I said with more force than I intended.

They were both disquieted for a second. Then they _tried_ to be sympathetic.

"Oh, Jo, we're so sorry, we know you liked him alot."

They were acting like they understood but they didn't._ They could never understand._

"I didn't just like him. He became my best friend. He was my Kung Fu Master. _My guardian and protector._ We got to share a room at camp."

M dad said. "Really, That's cool. How did you get a room with him?" _Did he seriously think he could change the subject that easily?_

I didn't feel like going into this story again, but I figured I owed them some explanation. If I gave them enough answers maybe I could go back to just staring out the back of the carriage "Some how, my name got left off the list for rooms. When they checked the name list later, I told them my name was Jo Crevan and they said I wasn't on the list."

My parents immediately exchanged awkward glances at each other  
"What?" I said.

My mom said "Jo, I'm afraid that's our fault."

"What do yall have to do with this?"

"Well, when we signed you up for the camp they asked for your name, but when we mentioned that we had adopted you they said we had to sign you up under your birth name."

"My birth name?! You mean it's not Jo?"

"Yes," my father said. "you see, when your mother and I took you in, we named you Jo and gave you our last name, Crevan, and your middle name Dakota."

"Yall never told me about this?"

"It didn't seem important." said my mom.

"So........ I have another name? What is it?"

My dad said. "When you were born your birth parents had named you Xanidor. Xanidor Thearr Grentow."

"Xanidor?"

I played it over in my head.

_Xanidor, Xani_**_dor_**_, _**_Xan_**_idor, Xa_**_ni_**_dor.  
__I guess it was a cool name. Different yeah, but cool. I wonder how my birth parents came up with a name like that__.  
__And Thearr, not sure it even sounded like a name. Kinda similar to Theo maybe._ Yet at hearing it, I felt one of those weird de ja vu feelings. There was something familiar about it-

Another Flash of Lighting

**_Xanidor Grentow!_**

_I knew I had heard it somewhere!_

_That was the name of the other camper that was supposed to room with Lucas and Park. The one that Lucas said never showed up.  
__My name had been on the list the whole time!_ I nearly laughed. _If it wasn't for my name being changed I wouldn't have ended up __at the peach tree and never would have met Po. I almost ended up rooming with Park in room fou...._

_Room four?_

I sprang to my feet and jumped out of the moving carriage.

"Jo!" my dad shouted, "What are you doing!"

"I'll tell you later!" I shouted over my shoulder. I ran weaving through the crowd of evacuees against the flow. Several of them gave me weird looks as I ran past but I didn't care

I didn't care if I got hit by a speeding cart. I **had** to make it back to the Jade Palace. My Destiny was at stake.

***

_Jo is back in action!_

_"On My Master's Wings" is based off the songs __On My Father's Wings__ and __Go the Distance__ from the animated movies __Quest for Camelot__ and __Hercules._

_Sorry if I freaked yall out with my supposed ending  
And if any of yall saw through my ploy and called my bluff, Bravo!_

_There are more chapters to come_

_REVIEW!_


	25. Chapter 25: The Next Dragon Warrior

_Ok I have to say I'm really proud of this chapter._

_Maybe this will answer some long awaited questions_

_Hope yall like it._

* * *

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 25**

"**The Next Dragon Warrior"  
**

The Valley grew darker as the thick blanket of gray clouds covered the sky. Every lightning flash casted jagged sinister looking shadows from the alley ways and buildings into the streets. Each shadow seemed to reach out at me, trying to stop me. Pull me back. Lightning filled the sky briefly lighting my way. Other than that I had only the forgotten lanterns outside the houses that guided me as I ran through the deserted village.

The stark buildings seemed to desolately form a tunnel around me. My mind kept expecting to see someone _anyone_. But the entire Valley was bereft of all life.

Some people left their doors wide open. I passed by Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop. There were still bowls left on the tables. People had literally stopped halfway through their meals when they had to evacuate.

I ran till I came to the flight of steps. Another fulmination of lightning behind Jade Mountain gave it a quick dark silhouette looming almost over me casting me into its shadow. I climbed for another 5 minutes. When I reached the arena doors I pushed on them and they wouldn't move. I looked through the space in between the two doors and saw a wooden cross bar holding them shut on the other side.

"I am _**SO**_ not in the mood for this."

_Deep breath_

"Finger tips on the door, fist, and- "

_Visualize the cookie _

_**BAM**_

The cross bar broke and the doors were free to open.  
I kept on across the arena till I got to the Hall of Warriors.  
Afraid the doors might be locked too I ran at them head on.  
They weren't and they slammed open.

"You!?"

There was Park standing in front of the slate wall holding the piece of Oogway's staff without the curve. "What the heck are you doing here!?" He yelled back.

"I saw you! You and Tai Lung killed Po. You killed the Dragon Warrior!"

Park looked completely unfazed. Like I'd given him a compliment.  
"He wasn't much of a Dragon Warrior if he was killed, was he?" He laughed.

My nails began to dig deeper into the palm of my hand within my clenched fist.

"Besides, Tai Lung is the real Dragon Warrior, and now my destiny of being a kung fu master is about to be revealed." He held up the staff piece conceitedly.

I saw it in his hand. _He was holding what was once held by Master Oogway._ "How do you know about using the staff?"

"From Tai Lung obviously. He approached me a couple days after camp started. He told me he'd heard of a camper eventually being a kung fu warrior. He started training me in secret. Then tonight, I saw Zeng delivering a message. I thought it might be something important so I offered to deliver the message for him." He began to scoff. "Imagine what it looked like to him, a poor rabbit with a black eye came up to offer assistance.

"After reading it, I delivered it and came here earlier tonight and hid behind one of the pillars when Shifu demonstrated to Po how to use it. I was going to try the wall once they left but he said he was going to check on the cabanas and I didn't want to give away that I was out of my room, so I snuck out. On my way there Tai met up with me again. After I told him what I'd seen he said tonight was the night we'd do away with that oaf of a Panda. But how do you know about any of this?"

"I read his letter too. I came here earlier and hid behind the armor." A thought crossed my mind that I couldn't believe I just realized. "Where is Tai Lung now?"

"He's finishing off any one else left in the Valley." He said with satisfaction. "He told me to come back here once the Valley was deserted and try this wall. He shouldn't be long since everyone in the Valley is gone. Come to think of it, how are you even here? Why did you come back to the Palace?"

"I......."

He laughed hysterically. _Was my mind that easily read?_ "**You** actually thought you were good enough for Kung Fu!? How many times do I have to tell you? "Know your limits."

Step back as I finally realize MY Destiny."

He held up the staff piece like a scepter facing the slate wall and shouted "Oogway show me the Destiny of me! Park Garfniec Ciepfoe"

Park's name appeared on the slate wall in fiery letters.

**PARK GARFNIEC** **CIEPFOE  
**

Suddenly the Letters started to rearrange themselves gliding across the wall. _The letters didn't look like that when I had said my name. They hadn't started moving either. _

Then I remembered what Master Shifu had said. _**"...what they are destined to be will be revealed on the wall… By their name... Destiny in the Name **_

_So this is how it happens? It __was__ him. His Destiny will literally be spelled out for him. He got here first-_

The letters had stopped moving and I almost busted out laughing. I would have given anything to see Park's face.

**  
PIECE OF FREAKING CRAP  
**

I never was able to picture Oogway saying that

Park was speechless. He turned around and looked at me, almost as if he was about to ask me what he did wrong.

I grinned. "Oogway knows you a little too well."

His blank face quickly turned back to a scowl. "Shut up! _streak-face_."

"My name's Jo- Actually... it's Xanidor."

He looked at me like I was crazy. "What?!"

"My birth name is Xanidor Thearr Grentow."

I snatched the staff piece from him and knelt down in front of the wall.

"_The person will be known by their name._ Remember? Master Oogway show me the Destiny of Jo Dakota Crevan. Xanidor Thearr Grentow."

**Jo Dakota Crevan  
XANIDOR THEARR GRENTOW**

The letters rearranged themselves as before. I stood there agape as the igneous letters burned brighter than ever-

**Jo Dakota Crevan  
THE NEXT DRAGON WARRIOR**

Park was completely dumbstruck. He was trying to form words but all he could say was "No!"

"Face it Park. It's just not your Destiny."

His voice suddenly turned dark. "It is if I can get rid of you!"

He suddenly lunged at me but I backed away. Knowing where this was going I stuck Oogway's staff piece in my red belt and readied myself in a fighting stance.

"Let's see if your Panda style will help at all against the style of a leopard and a tiger."

I didn't want to start anything in the Hall of Warriors so I backed away until we were both heading out the curtained backdoor of the palace. We were in the field behind the palace.

We were both temporarily stunned by the early morning sky that seemed to have magically cleared away the gray clouds.

The hatred in Parks eyes was real. I knew this fight was serious.

This was no longer a fight to impress Shifu, or to prove the other one wrong. Whoever won this fight would live. Whoever lost would die.

_And it's not __about__ to be me._

* * *

_The Fight is on_

_Hopefully this explains why I deleted your chapter 17 review Shektor. Your guess at the ending was really close, I didn't want anyone else to see it. Good job at guessing though!_

_Come on.  
__Be a pal.  
__Review_


	26. Chapter 26: Avenging Po

_Thank you all for being so patient. I'm starting to learn fight scenes are a challenge for me to write  
__but it's ok  
__I like a challenge_

_R&R!_

_*** _

**The Next Dragon Warrior  
****Chapter 26  
"****Avenging Po"**

The knee-high grass in the field was coated so heavily in dew you would have thought it had rained last night during the lightning exhibit. As we both maneuvered through the field the bottom of our garments started getting wet.

It became apparent soon after, Park had learned a lot from Tai Lung. He seemed to take no chances in fighting. He went all out with each strike.

I didn't even want to think about inevitable end to this fight. Was it even possible for me to survive to the end.

I mean, he was trained by Tai Lung, the most feared person in the Valley.  
_But I was taught by Po, and he defeated Tai Lung. I had that advantage.  
__What has Po taught me?  
__Look at your opponent. Find there weaknesses.  
__Park was taught Tiger and Leopard style.  
__He was all attack, no defense_

Studying his fighting I noticed his striking force. If he kept putting all his energy into every single punch like he was doing, he was likely to wear himself out.

I also noticed he didn't know much about blocking and I was soon able to hit him with a few nice strikes.

He made another wide swing but I ducked and struck him in the arm.  
He went for a forceful shove.

I jumped back but I slipped on the damp grass and fell to the ground below Park.  
_Use a weakness to your advantage._

I maneuvered on a ground doing a low spin kick at his ankles knocking him down too.

As we both scrambled to get up I landed a phoenix eye to the side of his head that threw him off for a second.  
The punch drove him against a single small tree in the field.

In a whim he pulled himself into the tree from a low branch and dove down on top me driving me to the ground. Just to add insult to it, he pushed my face into the dirt. I elbowed him off of me, but as soon as I did he slammed a blow right in my stomach. I immediately doubled up and kicked back causing him to stumble a bit. I ran in the opposite direction for a second.

Still hunched over from the pain my chest began to heave up and down rapidly.

We now both stood in the grassless part of the field about 15 yards away.

Park stood shakily but still holding his arrogant smile.

There had to be something, _anything_ that Po had taught me.

"Had enough streak-face?"

_Po, I wish you were here now. To tell me what I need to do_. As my mind faded in and out in exhaustion I started to hear his voice from the first night we met. "Everyone's different.... Oogway wanted to commemorate it by planting a Peach Tree... Be your own hero…Peach represents longevity.... no one's ever told me that... its wood is said to fend off evil"

_fend off evil?_

I looked down at my red sash belt. The 10 inch piece of Oogway's staff was still there.

It was a long shot but I had nothing else

I pulled it out of my belt.

My eyes floated shut as I took another deep breath.

_God, give me strength_

My eyes slammed wide open.

"This is for Po!"

I threw the staff piece up in front of me. For that second it spun in the air.

While it was still spinning I gave it an open palm punch.

The staff shot from me like an arrow with its aim true to Park. His eyes suddenly got huge and he opened his mouth to say something. Had he had a second more to think, he probably would have screamed.

Then the staff struck Park.

_**BOOM!**_

The ground erupted in a dust cloud towering to nearly 100 feet in the air and I swear I felt the earth shake.

I clamped my eyes and ears shut to shield them as the deafening paroxysm drove a whirlwind of dirt at me. For a while all I heard was the _whoosh_ of the dirt around me.

When dust began to settle I decided it was safe to look. I opened my eyes and saw what was left.

The explosion had left a slight depression in the dirt no less than 50 feet in diameter. It wasn't a crater but it mine as well have been.

I stood there taking in this sight. Taking in what I had done.  
Park was gone,  
and I had done it.

I smiled. "That wood is some powerful stuff."

I made my way down the steps back into the village. As I passed the still empty shops I wondered what my plan was from here. Something told I needed to get back the Shifu or the Masters to tell them what had happened and get them to come. Which even thinking it sounded crazy. It would take me a while before I could even catch up to the evacuees. I didn't know what I would say to them. Nothing had changed except Park was gone. I doubt he would have given much intimidation to them.

The pain in my stomach had subsided and my breathing had gone down to its normal speed.

I was half-way through the Village when I heard someone say "That was impressive back there." The voice was smooth and strong. I turned on the spot to come eye to eye with Tai Lung.  
"But you're not through yet."

***

_Go ahead make my day, review_


	27. Chapter 27: Tai and I

made up word:  
**turbovolve**- _a strong spinning or rolling commotion_

_Sorry I took so long, but I wanted this chapter to be perfect._

_**BIG**__ CHAPTER  
__**THE**__ CHAPTER  
__**REALLY**__ hope you like this one_

_R&R!_

***

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 27**

"**Tai and I"**

The large snow leopard stood maybe 10 feet from me in the middle of the town street. I held my ground firmly. I knew this was nothing to take lightly. This was Tai Lung I was dealing with. He could probably throw things my way I could never even imagine.

I had gone through so many vicissitudes in the last 24 hours they were starting to not even affect me.

I didn't feel like I needed an introduction. After seeing him kill Po, Tai Lung felt as much like an enemy that I'd known for a long time as Park did.

He folded his arms while a considerably powerfully pleased grin slid across his face.

"So you're Jo." He seemed to be giving me a look over.

I gave a look that Tai Lung easily read as a question.

"There's was only one badger at that camp, or the entire Village for that matter." He answered. "Park told me quite a bit about you. Peach tree wood; a lucky idea. You killed my student. You know how this ends now, don't you?"

"You follow in his footsteps?" I said coolly. I was surprised at my own audacity, but he remained unmoved.

"I kill you," he said surprisingly plainly, "just like I killed your mentor. The Big. Fat. Panda."

I glared back. "That Big Fat Panda was my Best friend!"

"Kid," He chuckled not breaking our eye contact, "you don't have a friend."

He started circling around me stalkingly, the way a shark circles his prey. I was waiting, anticipating when he would make his next move.

"I guess you made my job one step easier though. Now I don't have to dispose of that obnoxious hare after I wreak havoc across the Valley. Can't have anyone in the way. can I?"

"Some mentor you are."

He went on disregarding my statement. "Then again, I suppose he wasn't **that** great of a threat if he couldn't take out some pathetic little squirt like you." He started stroking the fur on his chin pondering. "Or do you have unseen strengths that I've yet to notice? When I went back to the Palace looking for Park I saw your name on the slate wall. So it's true then. You are the Next Dragon Warrior?"

I ignored what might have been a possible acknowledgement of my skill (I couldn't tell). I asked the question I had been dying to know since last night. "How did you even find out about the choosing of the student?"

"I was visited by the spirit of Oogway in a dream."

"How were you having dreams about Oogway? The only people he visited were…

_Of Course  
_

_"…his students"_

"Exactly." Tai Lung said smiling basking in my stunned look. "Master Oogway's memory came to all he had shared knowledge with, which of course would have included me, his former favorite student. Once I understood what he was saying, I knew I had to get to this child first, so I started spying on the camp.

"My first day there I saw Park and the rest of the campers listening to the stories from that flabby panda. Then he outlasted everyone on the balancing stakes. It seemed to make sense that he was the one. But something else in him appealed to me. I don't know what it was, but it drew me.

"I approached him one night while he was walking to his room. I told him the information I knew and how it could be to his advantage."

"What, he just agreed to go along with your plan?" I said hardly believing any of this.

"What would you expect? He jumped at the chance. I started training him during the nights after the other masters made their rounds. But once more of the dreams didn't resurface, I needed something else to confirm my theory. I knew Shifu had to already been visited by Oogway as well. I gathered that much from the dream. He'd be working on figuring it out too." Tai Lung chuckled remembering. "He always hated leaving a task at hand undone.

"I needed to search the bunkhouse for clues. I knew that a problem in the Valley, especially one at Po's father's shop, would be enough to draw Master Shifu and rest out of the bunkhouse just long enough for me to search through it-"

"You were the one who raised the alarm about the robbery?"

He nodded. "I see you're catching on. Keeping myself concealed, I met a couple of low-life thugs at a pub in the Valley and convinced them we'd rob the Noodle Shop. I'd give them 'back up' I said. But while they went about with their business I went to the Jade Palace, and found what I was looking for in Shifu's room; A paper with a burn mark around Park's room. This confirmed my conclusion even more. So I met him that night, told him what I'd found, and we did away with Po. Like I guessed Shifu saw no point in staying behind, having no success last time. And now the whole Valley is gone."

"Not all of it." I said my eyes narrowing.

He gave a specious leer with his pondering eyes again.

"What if you came to my side? We could take over the valley together."

I looked at him like he was insane. "What makes you think I'd even consider that?"

"I know you have it in you." With that he pulled a crinkled piece of parchment out of his pants pocket and threw it on the ground in front of me.

I looked down at the paper suspiciously then back up at him.

He nodded toward it coaxingly. "Go on. Take it."

He smiled as if to say "I haven't done anything bad to you yet, have I? I'm still innocent."

Not taking my eyes off him for a second I knelt down and fumbled for the paper. As I opened up the balled up parchment I nearly swallowed my tongue.

It was the poem I convinced myself I hadn't written, _**Out For Blood**_.

The memory of that bloody poem came flooding back as I stared horrified at my own words.

Half stunned and half angry I started "Where-

"Found it in the palace garbage while looking for clues. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it interested me. You're quite the poet and have the mind of a killer. Just like me. I could use another mind like that."

I straightened up a little. I found I was having a feeling of ambivalence toward him in spite of myself.

"When you killed Park, you felt a sense of pride. You don't want to admit it but you liked it.

You enjoyed it

You wanted to do it more.

And you can feel that same satisfaction more. If you come with me."

What scared me most of all was that what he was saying was almost.... _**NO! I'm only who I choose to be!**_

"I will never do what you did! Even if I wanted to, you'd just kill me once you had what you wanted, just like you were gonna do with Park."

Tai sneered. "Do you really think I'm afraid of some streak-faced brat?"

"You should be."

His whole expression dropped before re-conforming back to a glare.

"Is this how it's going to go?"

I nodded.

Last month had you told me I would face Tai Lung, I would have thought you were crazy, now, it not only seems natural, but it wasn't an option.

"Well then," He said putting one foot behind him, "no sense in delaying the inevitable."

Tai Lung made the first move. It started out as a simple swat at me that soon turned into a full fledged spar.

I could tell he had to be taking it slightly easy on me. Not because he felt bad obviously, but he probably thought he wouldn't have to exert much energy on me. I was hoping he'd keep it that way.

After I tried to dodge him behind a table he shot to the sky and slammed back to the earth rippling the ground like a puddle.

I was doing my best to block his moves, but if I didn't get any hits on him I wouldn't get anywhere.

I skidded toward him, dove underneath him, in between his legs, rose on the other side and kicked him in the back. Before he could turn around I jumped onto his back (No I don't know why, I couldn't exactly think straight). He grabbed back at me awkwardly like he was trying swat an over-grown fly. He clawed at me leaving some impressionable crimson marks on my forearm loosening my grip. He finally was able to throw me off of him.

Now he was starting to get angry. I curved around each of his strikes trying to be as fluid as water. It reminded me of dodging the practice dummies in leopard style-

He delivered a punch in my chest that took me a second to catch my breath. I was afraid my rib cage was about to collapse on itself.

Having racked my brain dry after the fight with Park I wasn't too fresh on ideas. His moves weren't as predictable as Parks. He mixed it up more, but I could still catch a hint of familiarity from student to master.

I still kept thinking.

_If their tall…… Trip them_

As he came for me I cut to the side sticking my leg out. He fell with a crash, but as I went to make my move he grabbed my leg

We were both in the dirt rolling over each other. Every time he rolled on top his weight, probably three times my own, seemed to crush my whole body into the earth.

Once I was free of that violent turbovolve I stood up.  
I saw his tail on the ground and stepped on it. He whipped around so quickly it pulled his tail out from under me and I fell.

As I got up again, he thrusted his hand toward me. His fingers turned electric blue and he was going for my chest. My hands came together on his outstretched hand in a clapping motion.

He kept pushing his arm trying to get his stunning fingers in contact with my chest. I gritted my feet in the dirt trying to hold off his strength.

"Using a nerve attack on a kid?" I said grappling against his muscle. "Are you really that afraid of defeat?"

With a growl he jerked his hand out my grasp, grabbed me by an arm and flung me 10 feet through the air landing hard on my shoulder before tumbling another few feet.

I tasted blood, but I hadn't noticed.  
I felt something sharp in my pocket when I had landed. I plunged my hand into my pocket and pulled out Po's throwing star.

I aimed at Tai Lung, and threw it as hard as I could.  
I hit him in his left shoulder and stuck their, maybe a little less than an inch deep.

He threw himself backward for a second and sharply took in air.  
His left hand darted to his shoulder and yanked out the star.

He looked at the small bleeding wound as make sure he wasn't imagining it.

He threw the star to the ground. "You twerp. You made me bleed!"  
He ran at me again. I had to jump to reach his height but I was able to punch him deftly in the jaw.

Then I performed a spin kick planting my foot right dead center of his chest throwing him back against an outdoor table holding several clay pots. The table was smashed beneath him and the pots sent dirt into the air.

He didn't move. He lay motionless among the broken wood and clay.

Just as I was about to let out a huge sigh/exhale his body rose from the debris and he leapt at me.

Grabbing each of my arms separately he slammed me to the ground driving the wind out of me. He had his whole weight on me pinning me flat on my back on the ground. It was cutting off the circulation to my hands.

His face was barely two inches from mine. I felt his warm breath splayed across my face as he panted heavily. He let out a low growl exposing his fangs.

I tried not to break my tense look but I knew I was about to crack. I looked directly into his eyes and noticed his iris was a fiery red while the sclera was yellow.

I knew looking this close into his eyes meant I was practically staring into my death

He tenderly stroked one of my eyebrows with the tip of his finger.

"You've put up quite the fight, but it's finished.  
It.  
Ends.  
Now."

He raised his hand and flexed his fingers. His claws shot out ready to slash.

He smirked sarcastically "When you see Po, say 'Hi' for me"

I cringed for the certain pain. My only hope is that it went quick and painless.

He drew his arm farther back only for it to be held there.

"Hi, Tai" Po said holding Tai Lung's finger in a tight pinch. But he didn't say it cheerfully. He was visibly bruised and cut all over his body and his face evinced serious aggravation.

Tai Lung grunted in anger. "How many times do I have to try to kill you?"

"I was wondering the same thing." Po said. "Now get off him."

Tai Lung started to laugh but got off me shaking his head. "Po, Po, We've been through this." he held up his other hand about to clench it, "What makes you think I won't just-

I shot my hand out pinched his finger on his other hand before he had a chance to close it.

Tai Lung looked at me his face showing fear quickly masked by disbelief. He turned to Po "You didn't"  
Po looked from Tai Lung to me confused. "I didn't."  
Now they were both looking at me for an answer. I smiled "I figured it out."

Po smiled back understanding. No more words were needed. Except for one

A flex of the pinky and...

We both simultaneously said "SKADOOSH!"

In that instant there was a gigantic flash of light followed by a rippling golden wave that seemed to spread throughout the whole Valley cloaking it in a brilliant mist.

As the hazy mist lifted, the Village came back into view. The flash of light seemed to bathe the whole Valley in rich vivid colors.  
And now Tai Lung was gone, alot cleaner than Park went.

Po and I stood there facing eachother where Tai Lung was between us not a moment ago.

Once the initial surprise of his disappearance was gone I turned to the other surprise. "Po, You're alive! How!? I saw Tai Lung and Park push you off the cliff."

"When he pushed me over I hit a large tree branch jutting out from the cliff. It slowed me down enough so I could land on a small rock ledge about 20 feet below the top of the cliff, but the branch broke and fell to the bottom to those cragged rocks."

"You fell 20 feet?" I said. "That's still a long fall."

"You're talking to guy who fell into the Palace arena out of a ball of fire. This stomach of mine saved me again. It took in a lot of the impact. I still hit pretty hard though. It took me a while to come to. Once I did I was just stuck there for a while trying to find a way up, but later I was able to climb off the rock face. When I got to the Palace everyone was gone. I figured everyone must have heard of Tai Lung and evacuated. Then a little while ago I heard a giant explosion that seemed to rock the whole Valley. I don't know what it could have been."

"It was me, well, it was Park. I defeated him."

Po's eyes went wide. "You did? How?"

"I shot a piece of Oogway's staff at him and it just... blew up."

Po stood there stunned. "How did you know that it would cause an explosion like that?"

"I didn't. I just remembered when you said that wood of a peach tree could fend off evil. And I guess Park had a lot of evil in him. I didn't know what it would do but I had nothing else. I did what you said. I improvised."

Po shrugged. "Well I guess this means you are the Next Dragon Warrior."

"You saw my name on the slate wall too?"

"No. Only a Dragon Warrior knows the Wuxi finger hold without being taught how to use it."

***

_Jo's and Po's friendship is reunited_

_Like I said, I wanted it to be perfect_

_And I hope it was, only the best for my readers_

_Review please_


	28. Chapter 28: Talking to the Master

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 28**

"**Talking to the Master"**

It didn't take long to get the evacuees back once the news of what had happened was known. The following day, as quickly as the they had packed up and evacuated, the entire Valley had put a together a village-wide celebration.

Upon the return of the evacuees Dew and Lucas ran to me from out of the crowds with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

"Is it true?"

For a while all I could do was smile, nod, and shrug. Eventually I was able to tell them the whole story.

All of the stores and shops were open and running. All of the restaurants were playing upbeat music outside on the sidewalks. People scuttled by laughing and dancing and celebrating. Once it got dark enough there was going to be a fireworks display.

Large paper lanterns were lit when dusk came, each emitting a lively orange glow that added further jubilation to the evening.

My parents shop was also getting more business than usual with the Valley's morale at a high point. I had spent most of the day running around with Lucas and Dew. It was one of the first times I had ever acted crazy with friends just for the heck of it. After a while I told them that I'd catch up to them in a little while.

I sat on a bench in the village square just watching the goings-on still trying to take in all that had happened in the last few days. I hadn't seen such a big celebration since the day Po was chosen to be the Dragon Warrior.

A little while later, Master Shifu walked out of a nearby restaurant holding a beverage. He approached the place where I was sitting.

"May I sit here?" he asked gesturing to the space beside me on the bench.

"Sure." I said. I scooted over to give him room.

As he eased himself onto the seat I couldn't help but notice he seemed more relaxed than I'd ever seen him before. A calmness seemed swept over him and I was briefly reminded of the glowing mist that had blanketed the Valley when Tai Lung was defeated.

"Are you enjoying the festivities?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said. "The whole Valley seems lit up tonight."

He gave me a look of gratification. "You should be very proud of yourself, Jo." He made a gesture to the surrounding people. "This Valley holds a great deal of gratitude to you as much as it does to Po. Thank you. I know we had a row the other day."

_The other day seems like a decade ago_

"Master I'd already forgotten."

He nodded thankfully before taking a sip of the drink in his hand.  
"But you seem be thinking of something else."

I looked at him, slightly taken aback. "Do I?"

Shifu looked forward. "You and Tai Lung spoke with eachother, didn't you?"

I sighed. Except to Po, I recounted the story to everyone leaving out the conversation between Tai Lung and I._ Po, Tai Lung, now Shifu? Does Kung Fu really give mind-reading powers or something?_

The way that Master Shifu had said made it sound like a frightening experience.

_Which it was._

"Yes. We did." I paused for another second before I spoke again. "He told me that I had the mind of a killer; his kind of mind."

"I see." said Shifu as he nodded.

"Master Shifu, do think I'm like that. I know a while back I was obsessed with being the best, but-."

Shifu started "Having the drive to be the best isn't necessarily a bad thing, Jo. In fact it's something a lot of great Kung Fu Warriors have."

"Was Tai Lung like that too?"

He smiled still knowing what I was thinking. "Tai Lung did have that same drive, but he let the thought and desire consume him. He wanted the honor and the limitless power. He didn't care about the protection of others. That became obvious to me after his massacre. But you are different. I'm glad that you realize this for yourself. Very few realize their goals and faults at a your age. If I could train Tigress to control her temper, yours shouldn't be a problem at all."

I laughed a little to myself.

Shifu turned to me with a happily thoughtful look. "Jo, you love kung fu a lot. Don't you?"

_I had never really put it into words but…_

"Yeah I really do."

"Your love for the craft is evident. That's what makes you so great at it."

"Master, do you really think I have what it takes?"

"Jo, a very wise person once said 'just being content with not knowing what'll happen next is a great place to be.' Excellence isn't a destination but a continuous journey that never ends."

"Are you still on that journey?" I asked.

"Oh yes, but you don't have to go on this journey alone, kiddo."

I paused for a second.  
_kiddo  
_A very avuncular choice of word for him.  
It was distinctly uncharacteristic of Shifu.  
But I liked it.

Shifu looked forward again, this time slightly hesitant. "About the question I brought up to you earlier, I know you haven't had much time to think about it. It's a big decision. I have already presented the question to your foster parents. They said that they are fine with it, but you have the final word."

Somehow I hadn't thought about it much while I simultaneously couldn't get my mind off it. He was right though. It was a big decision. I paused to think for a moment, but I already knew even if I spent hours laying awake at night, thinking of future outcomes, weighing the pros and cons my answer would be the same.

I turned to face Master Shifu.

"Yes."

* * *

_I'm sorry if it seems like I'm dragging it out, it won't be much longer _


	29. Chapter 29: Packing

_The poem is based off and written to fit the tune to the symphonic number "Where Eagles Soar," a very strong triumphant song, and very fitting._

_***_

**The Next Dragon Warrior**

**Chapter 29**

"**Packing"**

_**Where Eagles Soar**_

_I've always had dreams  
To be up high  
Like never before  
That maybe one day I will fly  
Fly where eagles soar_

_To feel the suns warmth  
Gliding over land and sea  
And hear the oceans roar  
That's the day when I will be  
Be where eagles soar_

_What lies ahead won't be easy  
This journey will have much strife  
There will be those who say I'm crazy  
But they don't rule my life_

_Now I'm here  
Racing through the sky  
As I triumph over this war  
I can finally say that I can fly  
Fly where eagles soar_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan**_

_or_

_**Xanidor Thearr Grentow**_

_Now that's a signature!_

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs so I slipped the newly finished poem into my folder. Then I placed the folder with the rest of the stuff I was packing into my other bag. I needed an extra bag for this leaving.

My parents entered my room.

"You're almost done packing?" my dad asked.

"Just about." I said.

My mom said "Have we mentioned lately we're going to miss you?"

"Maybe a few hundred times." I said jokingly. "It's not like I'm moving out of the Valley. I'm gonna come by all the time. Master Shifu said you can even stop by the Palace every once in a while."

I had already promised Dew and Lucas that I'd come down the next week and tell them how my first week of Palace training had gone.

"Still, we're gonna miss you alot." she said

"I'm gonna miss yall too."

"When do you need to leave?" My dad said.

"Po said he'd come by around 10 to take me to the Palace."

"Well, we'll be downstairs then."

As they left I turned back to my bags both filled with the essentials I'd need. Next to them was my rolled up poster of Po. _Not much sense in keeping it sense I have the real thing, but I can't part with it after we've been through so much._ Once I'd double checked that everything was packed. I stared out my open window watching for Po down the sunlit street. About 10 minutes later I saw him making his way up the street in a steady stride.

He came up to the front door and knocked on it. I didn't run down the stairs to get it though. I waited a few seconds to let my parents get aquatinted with my hero.

They both opened the door and came to face Po taking up most of the doorway.

"Oh hey there," Po said almost neighborly. "I'm here to pick up Jo."

"So, you're Po," my mom started. "It's only been a 3 days and we've already heard so much about you."

"All good stuff I hope." Said Po.

"Oh Yes, Jo's just finishing packing upstairs. Come in for a second won't you."

"Sure thing." Po walked in and my parents gestured to him the sitting area on the right side of the shop. As Po sat down he said "So I guess you both are Jo's foster parents."

They both nodded.

"I guess the events with Jo have been a lot to take in."

My dad said. "Well when we told Jo about the camp a few months ago we knew he'd enjoy it, but we never would have anticipated something this big."

"Master Shifu didn't even expect something like this when he came up with the idea for the camp. He expected something, but not **this** something"

I picked up both of my bags and descended the stairs entering the living room.

Po looked up. "Hey Jo!"

"Howz it goin' Po?"

"Pretty well, You ready to go?"

"I'm all set." I said stepping off the final steps.

I said a few more goodbyes and me and Po were walking down the sidewalk.

"Howz the last few days been that I haven't seen you?"

"Aces." I said.

A few on the sidewalks stopped and watched as I was walking down the street with Po. Some people were looking out there windows. I wondered if he was noticing.

Po pulled his shoulders back. "Think you can get used to this, pal?"

I laughed a little. "Might take a little while, but probably."

"Well, you're probably the only kid who's seen the color of Tai Lung's eyes and lived. Guess I should start calling you 'Lil' Master Xanidor'"

"My parents asked a similar question." I said. "They want to know if I want to start being called Xanidor."

"And?" Po asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Xanidor just doesn't feel like my real name to me yet. Right now it feels the same way a nickname does. I guess over time it'll feel more natural that it's my name. It'll just take some getting used to. For now, I'm 'Jo'"

Po said "Whatever you say, Xanidor."

I smiled a laugh up at him.

Po went on. "Well, you'll be getting your own room at the bunkhouse now, but if you ever need anything or you just want to sleep over for old times sake, my rooms always open."

"Do you still snore?"

Po looked shocked. "When have I snored."

"Never," I said smiling. "I was just messing with you."

"Well, you better stop by my room sometime." Po said in a mock-threat voice. "Because if you don't…. Well…. I know where you live."

"Right down the hallway?"

We both laughed more.

Looking up at Jade Mountain, still a distance away, Jade Palace looked brighter and more polished than ever in the midsummer sunlight.

"This is gonna be a tough experience for what lies ahead. It's a different kind of training." Po said. "Training at the Jade Palace will get harder over time, but it'll also get easier."

I said. "Even after me and Shifu talked, I mean, I'm still nervous."

"Don't be." Po said light-heartedly "I'm gonna be right there with you. And so will Master Shifu and the Five. We've all got your back. We all want you to succeed."

"Any other words of advice?"

"All I can tell you is prepare."

"Prepare for what?" I asked.

Po thought for a second. "Prepare for………………………" He was racking his brain for the right word.

He smiled broadly…

_That's the word_

…And turned to me.

"Awesomeness."

**  
THE END**

***

There you go people! The end but a new beginning!

_I'd like to thank all my friends on this site. Hiddenstranger, Skyyler, Sindalstar, Thelastgreatrocker, I'm-on-a-Roll, Animation Universe 2005, BlackRaider_

_And any one else who read my story!_


	30. Author's Note

_**Author's Note**_

-Writing _The Next Dragon Warrior._

_**One night**__**,**_ January 18th actually, I just had the urge to write. Writing is usually my relaxing therapy. Quite a bit of my writing is to forget about the stress of every day life. So this would probably be a short story of a peaceful place. But along with peace there had to be comfort. I had recently played around in my mind the joke ideas of combining movies. One of them ended up leading to Kung Fu Panda/The Next Karate Kid. I had seen Kung Fu Panda with my friends over the summer and instantly fell in love with it. More than any movie I'd seen before. It only seemed natural to me that I'd write a story about it. Based solely on the titles I thought up "The Next Kung Fu Panda" or "The Next Kung Fu Kid." I decided to apply the title idea to the story I wanted to write. Ok, so a kid who wanted to learn kung fu. Peaceful place? The Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom! and the comfort? Po! There was the idea of my story

I figured this would end up being like any of my other story ideas. I'd write a few paragraphs, expand each line a little more, and with any luck I might even finish it. It would be a couple pages long. A few of my friends would read it and if I said it was ok, maybe my family too.

**Never**, did I think it would be read by so many people, let alone people in other countries, be over 20 chapters long, and above all, be liked.

I had heard the term "fanfiction" before, mainly used by anime fans at school, but I just considered it stories by wannabe writers. Therefore I never referred to my writing, even if it was about a movie or show, as "fanfiction." I'd soon find my self not only calling what I wrote "fanfiction" but proudly proclaiming my self "a fanfiction writer."

The very same night I wrote a few lines of my story, I was searching online something about the Kung Fu Panda book "The Secret of The Scroll." I began searching through the book online but when I couldn't get to the part that talked about how Shifu took in Tai Lung, I put in "Tai Lung back story" into the Google search engine. The first article was from a site I hadn't heard of. When I clicked it I came to my first fanfiction story ever, "Love Struck Snow Leopard." (Thanks Sindalstar!) After reading the first few lines I realized this wasn't something from the movie, but I liked it. (I learned a new word: drabbles) After finishing this story I soon read other stories on the site of humor, family, adventure, romance... Some of it had been some of the best writing I'd ever read. So this is really fanfiction. I couldn't believe this many other people wrote stories about Kung Fu Panda like me. Then for the first time I took in the title of the site. _- unleash your imagination._ It suddenly hit me that this is what I needed. A way to get my work out. Motivation to get my work out.

A few days later I wrote the first paragraph as a short flash back explaining how Jo ended up at the Peach tree, but after seeing the short film "Secrets of the Furious Five" I took the idea of Po's lesson and expanded it into a whole Summer Training Camp. I began to realize this was going to be too much for a mere flashback. So I expanded even more. The first Paragraph became several paragraphs, now the Prologue. Then even more chapters were made.

I named my character "Jo" after my middle name and my pen name on the site (without the "e" at the end) and also because it rhymed with "Po." I later made his middle name Dakota. I always feel like all characters have to have a middle name mentioned, even if it doesn't make a difference. Now came another hard part for me. What kind of animal was Jo going to be? I resisted the urge to make Jo another panda (or red panda), but this meant I couldn't name the story "The Next Kung Fu Panda" without it sounding stupid. And not wanting to sound like I was completely basing it off "The Next Karate Kid" I also didn't name it "The Next Kung Fu Kid." I eventually stuck with "The Next Dragon Warrior" which in the end made the most sense out of all the choices.

For a while I couldn't decide whether to make him a rabbit like the rest of the students in the short or something different. I eventually went with what turned out to be a more opportunistic choice; A badger. One reason I love badgers is the fact that some people consider them harmless, but they can be very capable of defending themselves. This ended up being the very same reason it was a suitable animal. At the same time I didn't want Jo to be raised with this badger instinct so I gave him foster parents. Like with Jo, I had a hard time deciding what animals to make them. I originally thought sheep or wolves but decided on foxes. I made there last name "Crevan," the Irish word for "fox." Since then, some of my friends have asked if I had Jo adopted as a homage to Po's and Tai Lung's similar lives, but in truth, it wasn't.

I felt like there had to be more to the story than this. Jo's conflict currently seemed mainly man vs. self/surroundings conflict. I wondered if I should add a man vs. man conflict in the story. Jo was supposed to feel isolated and shunned. Maybe I needed someone to make him feel that way. But here I began to wonder again. Did I need to give Jo a rival? Was it really necessary? I decided for it and, again, a very opportunistic decision, and ended up being a very important decision to the plot. So I invented the character Park. (kraP spelled backwards)

Park began to form from two very real people in my life. The first I'll call Nathan. I met Nathan during my Freshmen year of high school. He was the new student and also on my bus. The second day of the new school year we ended up sitting next to each other. Somehow I'll never remember he got on the subject of his family and how his parents were divorced, his father is a drunk, and his mother's side of the family hates his family for reasons unknown "My grandma didn't even call to ask how my first day of school went". Being a natural person I took pity on Nathan which ended up being a terrible move. Nathan soon started hanging out with our clique on the bus and no sooner had that happened than he became a straight up creep. I started to wonder if he made up the whole story about his life. He started making fun of me for the stupidest things and once he was deep enough into my clique he shunned me right out of it. Every couple of days he would tell me his inevitable "Go kill yourself," "Go hang yourself," "Go cut yourself," "Go slit your wrist," "Go jump out a window," "Go play in traffic," or (the one I mentioned in the book) "Go jump off a cliff."

The second person I'll call Logan. Logan, I met back in 8th grade but we never officially became friends until my sophomore (his freshmen) year. Over about a year, we realized we both liked writing so we occasionally exchanged works.

In all honesty I was never completely impressed with his writing. His first story idea sounded ridiculously similar to "The Chronicles of Narnia" and his second idea sounded to similar to "Quest for Camelot," but I could tell it had potential so like any good friend I gave him my critique, which he usually ignored. But then, some time during my junior year I began to notice more and more how Logan loved to insult me. It started out as jokes but soon it got to be offensive. Then it spread to our critiquing. At the time I had told him my idea of starting a story on this new site I found, and he immediately gave me this "yeah right/seriously?" look then said something like "Joe, it's impossible to make a fanfiction story good. No one is gonna want to read that." But I ignored him and kept up with my story he actually gave me a nice review once but has since lost all interest and support in my story. But I persisted with my dream and writing and even began to work it into the plot of my story.

And so Park became a character based off these two guys, a creep and a dick.

I wondered if Jo needed more friends. True, Po was more of a friend than he would ever need, but I worried whether or not it was that realistic. One of my writing friends expressed the same thought. I was already thinking about the idea of Lucas, but when the 9th chapter came around I also added Dew. Both Dew and Lucas were based off real friends I had, each of which I credited in their middle names.

I began to worry about what would become of my story. After Jo meets Po where would that lead?  
After I had gotten a lot of praise on chapter 6 the story seemed to slow down. Three weeks went by and I hadn't gotten a single review on any new chapter. Had my story already jumped the shark? I still persisted.

Fight scenes became common in the story and (as I've mentioned) I realized they were a difficulty for me to write. And every time I wrote one I knew I'd have to outdo in the next one. In the end, amongst a bunch of brainstorming daydreaming, I felt I'd acomplished what I wanted too.

I continued to take occasional risk with the story, but there were still several parts where I was afraid I might be, as they say in movies, "nuking the fridge"

* Tai Lung's "counterattack"

* Po's suggested death

* My fake ending

* The use of the word "Crap"

* The staff piece "exploding"

I was surprised to see the traffic on my story never lessened during any of these parts.

Due to Jo's occasional prayers in the story, I've gotten some questions from people inquiring my religion and whether or not I believe in God. The answer is "Yes." I am a Christian, and while I would love to go into my testimony, that's not what my fanfiction story is about. If my story was completely centered around God I would have put it in the "Spiritual" genre. I'm not trying to convert people on this site. Just to entertain readers from what is my point of view.

The focal point of my story comes down to a saying I read by Hollis Conway, "You never make it past what you aim." People, don't stop going after your dreams. Don't let others tell you you're not good enough. They're not the ones that control your lives.

I've taken many wise sayings I've heard in life to use, like Jo, much of it has helped me. That's why this entire story is dedicated to the "Po"s of my life,

C. S.- Always made feel like I wasn't so different, or that I was different for a reason  
J. H.- Always went out of his way to make me feel included  
T. F.- Always cheered me up when I needed it. And also aided me quite a bit in the writing of this.

While I do wish this story could get as much fame as a published book, I am happy with the turn out. I can't say it enough; Thank you so much to all of my readers, reviewers, subscribers and friends on ! I couldn't have done any of this without you!

I hope you all have enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

_Sincerely_

_**Joe "Po" Navark**_


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